Auckland Grammar principal Tim O'Connor wants to see issues around consent cleared up before drug testing becomes widespread in schoolboy rugby.
Drugfree Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) announced on Wednesday the introduction of drug testing at September's Top 4 Rugby Tournament in Palmerston North.
There is currently questions over the issue of consent with the agency's website stipulating that the "competition is run under the jurisdiction of NZ Rugby who have adopted WADA Code compliant anti-doping rules that are mandatory for all players."
That means that consent essentially sits with the schools, something that doesn't sit well with O'Connor.
"I don't feel comfortable making a decision for a young 15-17 year old regarding invasion of privacy to be tested in the manner that has to be done for the validity of the testing," O'Connor told Newshub.
"I think parents should be involved in that process, very different to a professional athlete who can make that decision for him or herself as part of his or her chosen career."
DFSNZ already tests younger athletes, but this will be the first time they'll be tested when representing their school.
The initiative was triggered by research conducted by Otago University which showed "extensive and uncontrolled supplement use" in environments comparative to that of New Zealand.
O'Connor admitted the pressures of first XV rugby combined with the growing use of supplements were a major concern.
"I think there's a concern with supplement use for growing adolescent males and the overuse or their perception that they need to use supplements in order to be competitive against other schools and to win professional contracts.
"There's no doubt there are agents, scouts who are looking at first XV rugby and trying to lock them into franchises while they are in the middle of what is the pinnacle of their secondary rugby playing career and that too to us is a real concern, we don't want them."
However, he was adamant a solution needed to be found, particularly with the emphasis placed on schoolboy rugby in New Zealand.
"Knowing the televised component of college rugby now, the immediacy of young men to be able to head into professional sport in one step outside their secondary schooling shows that there are some issues in some school so solutions should be sought no doubt about it."
Newshub.
