Schwarzenegger signs bill barring high school athletes from using supplements

By Hubert Vigilla

Published on October 10, 2005

Apart from barring the use of the supplements, the legislation also bars manufacturers of supplements from sponsoring school events. Students will be required to sign a pledge stating that they will not use any supplements.

The approved legislation comes after the governor was criticized for possible conflict of interest involving his contract with American Media, Inc., a fitness magazine publisher. Many nutritional supplement companies advertise in these magazines and Schwarzenegger stood to gain at least $1 million a year for five years while he was in office.

Critics and political watchdog groups stated that Schwarzenegger's link to American Media, Inc. caused him to veto similar supplement legislation presented last year. Margita Thompson, a spokeswoman for the governor, said that this new legislation corrected the vagueness of the previous bill by specifying which substances would be banned.

Schwarzenegger has since given up his contract, though he continues to write a fitness advice column.

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