CHES Professor at UA Named to U.S. Anti-Doping Agency Board

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Dr. Ken Wright, professor in The University of Alabama College of Human Environmental Sciences, has been named to the board of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency.

The USADA is the nonprofit, independent and non-governmental entity responsible for the testing and results management process in the U.S. for athletes in the Olympics and Paralympics.

At UA, Wright is CHES professor and director of the sport management program. He received the Sayers “Bud” Miller Distinguished Educator of the Year Award in 2000, Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award in 2006 and Athletic Trainer Service Award in 1996 from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, along with Outstanding Alumnus from the College of Health Sciences at Eastern Kentucky University in 2001 and Academic Excellence Award from the UA College of Education in 1996-1997.

Wright has numerous publications, including the seven-video “Sports Medicine Evaluation Series,” a six-video series “Sports Medicine Taping,” a computer-assisted instructional program on sports injuries, and two textbooks, “Basic Athletic Training,” 5th edition, and “Preventive Techniques: Taping/Wrapping Techniques and Protective Devices,” 3rd edition.

Since 1990, Wright has presented at 16 different NATA Annual Meeting & Clinical Symposiums and been invited to present to sport medicine professionals in China, Japan, Canada and the United Kingdom. Additionally, he has served on the editorial board of the Journal of Athletic Training, Physical Therapy in Sport and Sports Medicine Update.

Having served as head athletic trainer at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte from 1981-1988 and Morehead State University from 1978-1981, Wright has been highly active in the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the U.S. Olympic Committee. He has collaborated with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (doping control officer and chair of DCO advisory committee) and was selected to work at the 2012 Olympic Games in the United Kingdom, 2010 Olympic Games in Canada and the 2002 Olympic Games in Utah.

Wright received his doctorate from Middle Tennessee State University in 1984, master’s degree from Syracuse University in 1976 and bachelor’s degree from Eastern Kentucky University in 1974.

Wright has been named among the new members to the USADA board that will be chaired by former Olympic athlete Edwin Moses.

About the USADA: The USADA is dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs. The agency manages a drug reference phone hotline and Global Drug Reference Online (www.GlobalDRO.com), conducts educational sessions with national governing bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as curricula, themed brochures and nutrition and dietary guides, easy-reference wallet cards for the prohibited substance list, periodic newsletters, and protocol and policy reference publications, all of which can be found at www.USADA.org.