Identifying doping occurrences in sports

Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the 11 anti- doping rule violations. Previously ten, an additional rule is aimed at protecting whistle- blowers from any kind of prejudice.

In team sports like Football, if an athlete is tested and found positive, mass testing of the team may be conducted. If one or more members of a team in a Team sport is found to have committed an anti- doping rule Violation, the National/ Regional Anti- Doping office ( NADO/ RADO) or CAS ( court of arbitration in sports) can impose the consequences on the team results, e. g., loss of points, disqualification from a competition or event amongst others. The rules are as described below and they apply to the athletes.

Rules 5- 11 also refer to the team support staff, such as the medical staff and coaches.

1. Presence of a Prohibited Substance or its metabolites or Markers in an Athlete’s sample. A sample may be: Blood sample or Urine sample and 2 samples are taken. Sample 1 tested and sample 2 is tested when an appeal is launched regarding the initial sample results. It remains the athlete’s responsibility for anything prohibited found in them during testing. Visit the WADA website for the annual list of prohibited substances and engage your NADO or Team doctor for any clarification.

2. Use or Attempted Use by an Athlete of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method example of substances: steroids, cannabis ( motekwane) etc.

3. Evading, Refusing or Failing to Submit to a sample collection

4. Whereabouts Failures: When under surveillance and traced for testing, an Athlete isn’t reachable, have vacated the address you submit to the Doping control team without permission or notifying them or deliberately

5. Tampering or Attempted Tampering with any part of Doping Control e. g. During urine specimen collection you somehow attempt to dilute it with water or give water instead of the sample.

6. Possession of a Prohibited Substance or a Prohibited Method.

7. Trafficking or Attempted Trafficking in any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method.

8. Administration or Attempted Administration to any Athlete In- Competition of any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method, or Administration or Attempted Administration to any Athlete Out- of- Competition of any Prohibited Substance or any Prohibited Method that is prohibited Out- of- Competition.

9. Complicity: Assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, conspiring, covering up or any other type of intentional complicity involving an anti- doping rule violation or attempted antidoping rule violation.

10. Prohibited Association: Athlete or other Person subject in sports is not allowed to be associated with a person subjected to authority of an Anti- Doping Organization in a professional or sport- related capacity.

11. Acts by an Athlete or Other Person to Discourage or Retaliate Against Reporting to Authorities.

SANCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO VIOLATE THE DOPING REGULATIONS AS HAS OCCURRED PRIOR IN BOTSWANA.

NB: CLEAN SPORTS COUPLED BY SUFFICIENT CONDITIONING, PROPER NUTRITION

AND ATHLETES SHOULD KNOW THAT WHATEVER GOES INTO THEIR BODY IS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY.

More info can be found at: https:// www. wadaama. org/