doping-prevent-eng

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DOPING PREVENTION

GENERAL INFORMATION

I. INTRODUCTION
II. DOPING. DEFINITION. CAUSES. EFFECTS. CONTROL
III. PRACTICAL INFORMATION
-Is an athlete allowed to take medicinal substances in case of illness or injury?
-Is an athlete obliged to undergo doping controls?
When?
Who can require it?
-Who is authorized to collect the doping control samples?
-Which are the causes for choosing an athlete to undergo a doping control?
-What should an athlete do when he is notified that he has to undergo a doping control?
-Which is the procedure for the sample collection?
IV. SAMPLE OF THE DOPING CONTROL NOTIFICATION FORM
V. CURRENT LIST OF PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES

I.INTRODUCTION

Doping is a non-sportive practice that is contrary to the ethic of sport and also potentially dangerous for the athletes’ health. It does not respect the principle of the equality of opportunities.

This document intends to support athletes who want to practice fair and healthy sports by providing them with basic information about doping, its causes and its potential effects, as well as the procedures of the different controls.

The information this document contains answers the most frequently asked questions athletes usually ask the technicians in their sport environment and it reminds that they may be a possible subject to a doping control.

This way athletes should find a solution for their main doubts about the characteristics of the controls, especially concerning the procedure of sample collection, a part of the control that affects them directly and personally, and the guidelines for medical treatments without violating the anti-doping rules.

Athletes as such, have responsibilities in terms of doping control like for example knowing and accomplishing the official regulations. But they have rights as well, which they should know in order not to violate any rules.

The existence of doping controls with the corresponding guarantees and the fact that athletes undergo them with negative results; will make it possible for the athletes to win honourably. This information is intended to help these wishes become true.

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II. DOPING.DEFINITION.CAUSES.EFFECTS. CONTROL.

Definition. There are various origins and multiple situations where doping has been defined. But in all of them, some more or less complicated, doping is considered as the use of substances or methods that are illicit in federate sport.
In most of the developed definitions there is also a justification of this prohibition.

Causes for doping. It is indubitable that athletes who dope themselves do this in order to win against their competitors. But what they are trying to attempt by doing this is to win dishonestly so they are considered to be the better ones, probably not as such, and cheating not only on their friends, but on themselves too.

Besides sportive glory, these athletes are basically looking for economical award and social acceptance they can not – or they believe they can not – achieve exclusively with the abilities they have learnt through training. Therefore they use other methods, in this case doping; but, are they really aware of the consequences?

Doping effect. The effects of illicit substances are basically the ones they contain for themselves and as a part of medicine. There is an old statement that says that “There is no difference between medicine and poison; it just depends on the dose”. But concerning medicine, doping substances are found in active substances, it must be also considered, that:

1st. The dose which is frequently used for doping is higher and even much higher to the therapeutical one.

2nd. The effects of these substances have been analyzed in therapeutic situations, which are very different to the usual athletes’ situation, a situation with intense physical training.

3rd. In many cases there is no opportunity to perform a previous investigation or observation of these possible complementary, collateral and side effects.

4th. The use of these products usually go hand in hand with other products, so that the effects may differ to the ones analyzed on a therapeutical level.

5th. Many substances, for example anabolic steroids, have a short, middle or even long term effect and some of them are irreversible or even lethal. The results of some specific research do not exclude a possible genetic effect.

Doping control. The doping substances are the essence of doping. The control, which is carried out in order to check a possible violation of the rules that forbid the use of such substances in sport, is based on the possible detection of illicit substances in the samples of federate athletes who have competed or who can compete in officially organized competitions.

The doping control is defined by regulated processes that are carried out with the necessary guarantees for the anti-doping responsible as well as for the controlled athlete.

This procedure includes:

-Selection of the test and the athlete to submit control.
-Sample collection and sending to the analysis laboratories.
-Analysis, evaluation and report of the samples
-Application of the principles in accordance to the results of the analysis and, if appropriate, the corresponding sanction.

III. PRACTICAL INFORMATION

Athletes taking part in both national and international competitions should know the answer to the following questions:

Is an athlete allowed to take medicinal substances in case of illness or injury?

Illicit substances are well defined by the effects they have on the human organism and on the athletes’ performance. Even though they seem to be numerous, they actually represent a small part of the substances that the athletes can take according to an optional prescription in case of illness or injury.

The most important thing is that athletes know themselves the current list of illicit substances, which can be found enclosed in this document and which are on the WKF website, and that they are able to report this list to their doctor or to their pharmacist at any time. To support the athletes and the doctors, or the pharmacists, they must be informed that the descriptions of the medicines containing such substances do mention this illicit substance and the possible positive testing in a doping control if they are ingested.

But they have to pay special attention concerning some substances, especially:

- Caffeine, which is contained in coffee, tea, chocolate, cacao, cola, etc. and watch out!, also in guarana and some energy drinks. Taking food that contains an ordinary quantity of caffeine, not excessive one, in comparison to other foods, does not lead to positive testing in doping controls, because the analysis of the sample in which this substance is detected, is only considered testing positive if the accumulation of caffeine is much more superior of the one which is generally obtained by a regular diet. But it is necessary to draw the attention to the fact that injections, pills and other forms of, for example caffeine, cola or yerba maté can undoubtedly cause, depending on the taken doses and on some specific physical conditions, a positive testing in a doping control.

- Ephedrines, which are active substances of some cold medicine. The ordinary quantity of these substances is allowed but problems only appear in higher doses that are higher than therapeutic ones. Anyhow it is important to be careful with these substances, because sometimes diet products, infusions and magistral formulas may contain them, and have no health control. Often they are mentioned under names such as “Mahuang”, “Ephedra”, “Sida Cortifolia” or even “Ginseng”.

- Salbutamol, terbutaline and salmeterol, which are absolutely adapted for a therapeutic use. This means that it is possible to use them through inhalation without violating the rules if there is a therapeutic need to do it. It is also true for other substances: the glucocorticosteroids.

Finally it is necessary to be reminded of the importance of being aware of the use of some specific nutritional products, such as some energy bars, which may contain anabolic steroids in a very low quantity. The most common anabolic steroids that appear are nandrolone and its precursors, which make it very possible to test positive in a doping control if these products are taken. They are usually not under health control, they are very easy to get and sometimes the compound is not even mentioned on the label.

After all, the athlete must be aware of his federate athlete identity bounding him to some specific rules such as not taking illicit substances in the sports environment. In order to comply with these rules he should make sure that he is not cheated on and that he does not cheat himself. For this reason he should not take any product which is not safe – or does not guarantee him safety – considering a possible control.

To reiterate, if an athlete needs to take some products or medicine he should insist towards the doctor who is in charge of his problem, on his federate athlete identity, which allows only in a restricted way the use of some pharmaceuticals. In most cases, these have to be substituted by other products or medicine containing active substances allowed in federate sports environment.

Is an athlete obliged to undergo doping controls? When? Who can require it?

An athlete taking part in official competitions from at least his National Federation, his Continental Federation or the WKF, must undergo doping controls during competitions or out of competitions if some of the authorised bodies require it:

The athlete has to be aware that refusing to undergo a doping control when required by the assigned authority is considered as a serious violation of doping, which is in any case subject to a sanction.

Who is authorised for the sample collection of a doping control?

The process of sample collection of a doping control during a competition is done by a team that is chosen and accredited by the organization requiring the control. This doctor will be accompanied by at least one technician, either with medical skills or not.

Concerning out-of-competition doping controls, it may be possible that there are no technicians accompanying the sample collection responsible.

Which are the causes for choosing an athlete for a doping control?

An athlete can be chosen for a doping control by his standing, by drawing or by appointment.

The required athlete knows that he is going to undergo a doping control because the sample collection responsible or a representative will hand him out a notification form with his personal and his federate information and the place and conditions of the control.

This form, joint with a sample, contains also some other interesting complementary information.

What should the athlete do when he receives the notification informing him about the requirement to undergo a doping control?

The athlete must ensure the veracity of the notification’s details. It must be signed by the person who hands it out and at the arrival it must also be signed that the notification was received.

From this moment on, in an in-competition control the athlete has a maximum of thirty minutes time limit to be at the doping control area. This time limit may be up to an hour in some sports and it may be, in special circumstances, even up to two hours if the sample collection responsible decides so.

Generally a person is chosen – an escort – to accompany the athlete from the moment when he receives the notification until he goes to the doping control area. Sometimes this is obligatory, like for example in the Olympic Games.

In an out-of-competition control the notification is generally unannounced and the control begins immediately.

How does the sample collection process work?

Once the athlete has received the notification and respecting the maximum assigned time limit, he has to go to the control area, where he has to show the notification and prove his identification by an official document with a photograph. He may be accompanied by someone.

When the athlete enters the control area he will not be allowed to leave it until the process is finished.

When the sample collection process begins and after the athlete accepts it, the athlete can choose and check the basic material used for the collection. This material has to be approved by the responsible National Anti-doping Commission.

Athletes must submit the sample in the established way and in the presence of one of the members of the collection team.

The athlete undergoing a control must ensure that even though the sample is subministrated in a different moment, at the end there must be only one sample left to be divided in A and B sample, which should have the same numeric code and which should be perfectly closed.

At last, the controlled athlete has to sign the collection form after having verified the details included in the same.

Furthermore, the athlete should make a statement about the medicine he has taken before and especially during this process he should show the form for illicit substances exemption for therapeutic use. It may be possible that this form has to be shown to the responsible National Anti-doping Commission previously.