Fortunately for athletics administrators, while parents might like to believe otherwise, students do not have a constitutionally-protected right to participate in high school sports. In the vast majority of cases, the courts have found no legal right to participate in interscholastic athletics, even for athletes skilled enough to earn athletic scholarships. Participation in athletics, the courts have held, is a privilege only. Therefore, school and athletics administrators have every right to suspend or bar athletes from competing on teams for any number of reasons, including alcohol and drug use.
Source: Attorney John T. Wolohan, Athletic Business
