Drug testers await Masters
The athletes at April’s games are a little older but still have a competitive spirit.
Competitors at next month’s World Masters Games can breathe a sigh of relief — Viagra and Propecia are not on the list of banned substances.
Which is just as well, because Drugfree Sport NZ testers will be on duty, when 25,000 athletes converge on Auckland from April 21-30.
Most of those entered across the 28 sports will not necessarily be motivated by gold medals or world records, but DFSNZ testing and investigations programme director Jude Ellis isn’t underestimating the competitiveness of those who are.
“If you look at events like agegroup triathlon . . . if you tell them they’re not elite, they won’t agree,” says Ellis, a former rowing and rugby international, who will contest the former at the World Masters.
“A lot of these athletes are previous elite performers and are taking it very seriously. Others are taking this really super seriously, because this is their first chance to take part in an international sports event.
“This is a big deal for some athletes and they want to win just as badly as at elite events.”
Ellis would not discuss how many samples will be gathered or what substances would be tested for, but admitted the programme covered a far more limited range than other major sporting events like Olympics or world championships.
And the chances of a weekend warrior being caught in the net were slim.
“We’ll be looking at where the highest risks are — the sports where doping is most likely to exist and what age groups,” she says.
“We’ll have limited resources, so the testing will be targeted and focused. Not by any stretch of the imagination will every medal winner be tested.”
But some of the substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency can be found in everyday medication and Ellis concedes the testing programme may still snare first-timers who legitimately take these drugs to maintain quality of life, especially through veteran age groups.
Some of those might include asthma and diabetes medications, and testosterone.
“Masters are a different kettle of fish and the body isn’t what it used to be,” says Ellis.
“Things happen when you get older and we’re encouraging everyone not to stop taking medication just because they might test positive.”
For the Masters Games, athletes who return a positive test can apply for a retro-active TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption) and will have the opportunity to present supporting documentation for their medication.
Ellis identifies supplements as the posing the biggest risk to part-time athletes.
“In the past 20 years, the supplement industry has just ballooned and taking things like pre-workouts before competition would not be a good look.
“In our experience, we get a lot of positive tests from contaminated supplements, or from people not reading the labels properly and their supplement had a banned substance in it.
“Certain types of supplements have higher risk than others. Iron tablets and vitamin C pills are no problem, but when you’re starting to take stimulants or weight-loss or body-building things, then you’re sailing a bit close to the wind.”
Ellis urges all competitors to become acquainted with the Wada list of banned drugs and the testing process in the weeks leading up to competition.
“People need to inform themselves around the rules of the competition they’re entered in,” she says. “Saying you didn’t know simply won’t wash.” For further information on drug-testing, go to drugfreesport.org.nz