MIAMI — While a change in diet, medication, exercise and stress can all affect a girl’s menstrual flow, doctors say cycle irregularities don’t affect their ability to play sports and are raising privacy concerns over a state board proposing to mandate that information for Florida students to play high school sports.
The Florida High School Athletic Association’s 16-member board of directors — made up of 14 men and two women — had scheduled a vote on this issue later this month.
The board, however, will hold an emergency meeting Thursday to discuss the FHSAA proposal, which has drawn criticism from medical professionals, students, parents, coaches and others over student athlete medical privacy issues. The association’s executive director is now recommending that students submit only one page to schools, on which a doctor would stipulate that an athlete is healthy enough to compete, or only able to participate partially. Details about a player’s health would not be included on that form.
