Iowa City Regina president confident steroids letter ‘a hoax’

Regina Junior-Senior High School staff and students are working with the Iowa City Police Department to investigate a letter that has been circulating with claims that football coaches at the school have been providing student athletes with steroids since 2010.

The two-page document, signed by Regina Parents for Responsible Athletics, is dated Aug. 26, and accuses the school's staff of failing to take action.

Lee Iben, president and CEO of Regina Catholic Education Center, said that three copies of the letter were sent to school administrators – one to him, one to Principal Glenn Plummer and a third to the former activities director – three weeks ago. Since then, they have conducted an internal investigation and met with parents, coaches and athletes.

“We believe it to be a hoax,” Iben said. “We have no reason to believe there is any truth to the letter or its accusations.”

Iowa City Police Sgt. Vicki Lalla confirmed the investigation but said she could not comment further.

To whom the letter is intended is unclear, but the text includes a line about informing people "about the type of team that you will be facing in the upcoming weeks," as well as language suggesting that opposing teams should "protest competition and request that (Regina) athletes undergo drug testing" before events against other schools' athletes.

President Iben also said that he is working with the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Diocese of Davenport, of which Regina is part, to find out who is responsible for writing and distributing the document.

“It was signed by a group that doesn't exist. It was filled with threats,” Iben said. “What their intent is was unclear.”

Gazette journalist Lee Hermiston contributed to this report.