U-Wire
Arizona Daily Wildcat
February 24, 1998

CDC recommends changes for wrestling programs

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (U-WIRE) - The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Thursday recommendations for collegiate and high school wrestling programs that mirror changes already made at the University of Michigan during the past two months.

Wrestlers should consult health experts before beginning a weight loss program and should become educated about healthy practices regarding nutrition and weight control, the CDC recommended.

"The CDC report released ... supports Michigan's task force recommendation that a pre-season weight class and a safe in-season weight monitoring program must be established," said Michigan Athletic Director Tom Goss.

The center's report comes just months after the deaths of three collegiate wrestlers, including Michigan wrestler Jefferey Reese, a kinesiology junior.

Reese died of kidney failure and heart malfunction caused by dehydration and excessive exercise while training Dec. 9. He was wearing a rubber suit to work off the weight necessary to qualify for the 150 weight class.

About one month before Reese's sudden death, two other college wrestlers died from similar circumstances - Joseph LaRosa of the University of Wisconsin at La Crosse and Billy Saylor of Campbell University in North Carolina.

Michigan wrestler Phil Klein said adding more medical support into wrestling programs will benefit the sport in the long run.

"Getting doctors (involved) is definitely worth it," said Klein, a kinesiology junior. "Wrestling was getting to the point where guys were doing anything to cut weight, but it wasn't fun and it wasn't safe."

The Michigan wrestling program is currently adding educational and health components to reduce dangerous practices the wrestlers may have used before Reese's death.

Michigan wrestling coach Dale Bahr said these additions will benefit wrestlers early in the season.

"Anytime we get more education it's good," Bahr said. "Whether it's doctors or nutritionists, I think if they can come in at the beginning of the season, maybe in September or October, when guys come in after the off season, it would be ideal."

All-American wrestler Airron Richardson, an LSA senior who intends to pursue a career in the medical field, said he agrees with the CDC's recommendations.

"So many people try to advise each other how to lose weight from things they've done in the past, but none of that has any medical basis to it," Richardson said."Hopefully, if doctors are in the picture, they can help coaches."

Richardson added that the new medical influence should not take away from the competitiveness of the sport.

"Their help should be purely from a nutritional standpoint," he said. "I don't think any doctor should tell a coach how to train his guys, but I'm sure this would help everyone lose weight the safe way."

The NCAA enforced sport-wide rules -- including a ban on rubber suits, the use of saunas and forcing athletes to weigh-in no longer than two hours before a meet.

All of the changes are intended to ensure across-the-board safety for collegiate wrestling, Goss said.

"It is now imperative that both the NCAA and amateur wrestling remain vigilant in assuring all wrestlers have safe training methods in a healthy, competitive atmosphere," he said.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.