Not What The Doctor Ordered

Furthermore, waivers don't always stand up in court. "To a sympathetic jury, a waiver is meaningless," says Frank Uryasz, director of sports sciences for the NCAA. "I understand how badly a kid wants to compete. But you have to be reasonable. Schools have to abide by medical rulings."

Young people don't always make the best decisions for themselves. By allowing someone with a known health risk to compete, a school may be helping the athlete make the worst decision of all.