Steroids Loom in Major-College Football

WASHINGTON (AP) — With uneven testing for steroids and inconsistent punishment, college football players are packing on rapid weight without drawing much attention from their schools or the NCAA.

An investigation by The Associated Press based on dozens of interviews with players, testers, dealers and experts and an analysis of weight records for more than 61,000 players reveals this disconnect.

Although college football believes the problem is mostly under control, steroids are easy to buy, testing is weak and punishments are lax. Rules vary so widely that, on any given game day, a team with a strict no-steroid policy can face a team whose players have repeatedly tested positive for steroids.

Experts and players say the sport's near-zero rate of positive steroids tests obscures the true scope of use among college athletes.