Anti-Doping

Working in Partnership With: At first glance, you may think this module is not relevant to you or your athlete. Well, we're here to tell you that it is! No matter your child's age or performance level, gaining a better understanding of this subject now will be hugely beneficial going forward. Importantly, it will help you to ensure they start clean and stay clean.  The Basics Anti-doping refers to the efforts and rules in place to prevent athletes from using banned substances or methods to gain an unfair advantage. The goal is to ensure fair competition and protect the integrity of sports. Athletes must follow strict rules and regulations regarding the use of medications, supplements, and treatments. Anti-doping organisations, such as the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), enforce these rules and impose penalties on athletes who violate them. Athletes are more likely to be subject to anti-doping testing when they reach higher performance levels, which can mean certain school-age athletes. They can be randomly tested at any age, time, or place. If an athlete is under 18, they are considered a minor and will be subject to a modified process. For more information, see our lesson ‘How Drug Testing Works’. Despite well-publicised cases depicting the shame that follows a ban and the catastrophic effect that the resulting time away from sport can have on a career, some athletes are not deterred.     Why Some Athletes Dope They may see others around them using banned substances and succumb to peer pressure. Being easily influenced/led by others can result in them following the crowd/FOMO. An overwhelming need for success/fame might instil a ‘win at all cost’ attitude. They may see taking a banned substance as their only chance of achieving their desired performance. The desire for personal achievements can overshadow ethical considerations. They may experience external pressures to succeed from coaches, sponsors, or associations and may even be encouraged to dope by an unethical coach, for example. They may perceive the risk of detection to be small due to the infrequency of testing and believe they won't get caught. Their environment may be one where it's easy to access banned substances. They might not have been adequately educated to know that what they are doing is violating the rules. They might not have been adequately educated to understand the potential dangers to health and subsequent consequences of doping. Feelings of desperation, e.g. following an injury, may override their ability to make appropriately considered decisions. Parental Influence How an athlete views the act of doping will depend on their attitude towards it and their beliefs. These are generally formulated from the information they acquire (from what they read or hear from others) and through the influence of people they view as significant, e.g. you as parents, their coaches, training partners and other athletes they may look up to. Your athlete might pick up on what you say and how you react to, for example, news of a banned athlete, and use this information to formulate their own attitudes and beliefs towards the subject. By reacting in a disapproving way and pointing out the apparent morality issues, i.e. cheating and denying another athlete of what should rightfully be theirs in the case of a doper winning a medal, you’re sending out a clear message to your own athlete that you wholly disapprove and have no respect for drug cheats. The hope is that these attitudes and beliefs will be strengthened over the years and will become enduring; in other words, they will override, for example, peer pressure to dope or temptation to dope resulting from desperation to achieve specific goals, etc. Understanding the various factors contributing to an athlete’s decision to dope allows parents to provide appropriate information and a positive influence during the formative years. What you say matters!     Thankfully, most athletes want to uphold the principles of integrity and fair play, especially regarding doping. You will play a huge role in educating and positively influencing your own athlete to ensure they are one of them. Start early… attitudes and beliefs form during childhood and the teenage years. This is when your input can be the most influential. Helping them understand and, importantly, believe that external performance enhancers are not necessary to unlock their full capabilities will be one of the most valuable. Their natural ability, combined with hard work, dedication, good nutrition, and good sleep habits, are the keys to genuine success. True satisfaction will come from achieving their goals through their own merit. Note: Choosing not to go down the supplement route will remove a huge swathe of risk. Read more about this in our lesson on the risks associated with supplement use.     Take Home Points There are many reasons an athlete decides to dope. Anti-doping education is essential... for them and you. Parental influence can be a game-changer. What you say and do matters. Respected athletes compete with integrity. Accidental doping can happen through the use of health-related medication and supplements... including protein shakes... If a doping test is found to contain an illegal performance-enhancing substance, excuses are VERY unlikely to be accepted. A positive test can end their career, destroy their reputation, and impact relationships. If you've found this information helpful, we've created The Athlete Place, our athlete-specific platform that will inform, motivate and inspire your athlete... Evidence-Based Research Our content is supported by: Blank, C., Leichtfried, V., Schaiter, R., Fürhapter, C., Müller, D. and Schobersberger, W., 2015. Doping in sports: Knowledge and attitudes among parents of Austrian junior athletes. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 25(1), pp.116-124. (View Paper)

Working in Partnership With: The drug testing procedure checks athletes of almost any age or ability for the presence of prohibited substances in their bodies. It is carried out by trained and authorised doping control personnel who must show their official identification when they first approach an athlete and before commencing testing. How it works 1. Selection: Athletes are randomly chosen or targeted for testing. They are notified and asked to provide a urine or blood sample for analysis. 2. Sample Collection: Athletes go to a designated testing location where trained personnel collect their urine or blood sample. The collection process is constantly supervised to ensure integrity. To be clear here, for urine samples, the supervisor will literally need to watch your athlete wee into a cup... yes, it's invasive and embarrassing. 3. Sample Analysis: The collected samples are sent to a laboratory for analysis. Highly specialised technicians use advanced techniques to test for the presence of banned substances or their metabolites. 4. Laboratory Analysis: The samples undergo thorough analysis using methods such as chromatography and mass spectrometry to detect even trace amounts of prohibited substances. 5. Results and Reporting: Once the analysis is complete, the laboratory provides the results to the relevant anti-doping organisation. The results are then reported to the athletes and their governing bodies. 6. Follow-up Actions: Depending on the test results, further actions may be taken. If athletes test positive for a banned substance, they may face sanctions, such as suspensions, disqualifications, or other penalties.   The video below describes the testing process well.  How You Can Help  If your athlete is competing at any level, encourage them to understand the basics. If they are competing at a good level, familiarise them with the testing format and make sure they understand it, too. This topic is also covered on our athlete-specific platform, The Athlete Place. Ensuring they understand precisely what will happen… before they face their first test can help avoid stress. Knowing what will happen beforehand will prepare them if they are suddenly called up. For some, the first test can be a scary experience. Ensure that they know their rights, especially regarding the requirement as a minor to have an adult representative present. If an athlete is under 18, they are considered a minor. They will be subject to a modified process that requires an athlete representative to be present at all times, as described on the UKAD testing process for minors page.   The following links will take you to the relevant pages on the UK Anti-Doping and WADA websites. The UK testing process. What to expect from an in-competition anti-doping test. World Anti-Doping Association's Athletes' Anti-Doping Rights Act. Take Home Points Ensure your athlete knows what to expect before they are approached for their first test. Even if your athlete is not yet competing at a high level of sport, have these conversations. Ensure that they know their rights. Ensure they understand that tests will always be unannounced and without warning… and that they can happen to any athlete at any time, i.e., at a competition, training session, or at home…  If you've found this information helpful, we've created The Athlete Place, our athlete-specific platform that will inform, motivate and inspire your athlete...

Working in Partnership With: For an athlete wanting to adhere to the rules of clean sport and anti-doping, taking supplements will always present a risk due to the chance the supplement has been contaminated with a banned substance. This includes vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies as the supplement industry that provides these products is, it seems, difficult to regulate. Key points  Contamination: Supplements can have hidden banned substances due to contamination during manufacturing, which can lead to positive doping tests. As dietary supplements are often produced in factories that also manufacture products containing banned substances, cross-contamination is a genuine risk. Lack of Regulation: Supplements are not as strictly regulated as medicines, so it's hard to guarantee their safety or the absence of banned substances. Mislabeling: Some supplements may contain undisclosed ingredients, including banned substances, which can result in unintentional doping violations. Several high-profile cases in the media have involved athletes who have taken supplements believing them to be safe and legal, only to fail a drug test due to contamination, during manufacture or otherwise, with traces of banned substances. It is incredibly difficult to prove innocence in these cases, and even if successful, the media will have already created a link between that athlete's name and doping that is hard to move beyond. These cases highlight the career-impacting damage that can result. To think that these cases are few and inconsequential would be a mistake. A recent Australian report found that anti-doping rule violations due to supplements accounted for a third of positive doping tests in Australia between 2016 and 2019. Read the report click here (4min read). Supplement Use Can Lead to Doping Another less obvious but significant doping risk of supplement use is a psychological one. There is now growing evidence that suggests those who take supplements are more likely to dope. In fact, a recent research study found athletes who took dietary supplements were 2.5 times more likely to dope. Click here to view the paper. Batch Testing If, despite your efforts, they remain determined to use supplements, and let’s face it, the peer pressure and influence from social media are absolutely HUGE, insist they choose reputable brands that have undergone rigorous testing, i.e. have the INFORMED SPORTS logo. Brands with the above 'Informed Sport' logo have been batch-tested for banned substances to minimise the risks, but this still does not absolutely guarantee the absence of banned substances. There is still a risk. It's just smaller. This page on the Aquatics GB website explains the risks and precautions that are needed if an athlete decides to use supplements. How You Can Help  By becoming better-informed about the risks of supplement use, you can help your athlete learn to appreciate the risks themselves through the understanding that supplements can 'accidentally' contain banned substances due to contamination or mislabeling. Additionally, with a focus on whole foods and a balanced diet to obtain essential nutrients, you can also help them make informed choices, allowing them to prioritise their own clean sports values. Professional guidance should always be sought for nutritional advice and alternatives to dietary supplements. Importantly, it should also be pointed out that taking supplements excessively or in combination with other substances can also harm health, causing digestive problems or hormonal imbalances. Take Home Points Encourage your athlete not to use supplements. And this includes protein powder/shakes, etc. No supplement will be 100% risk-free. Adopt a FOOD FIRST approach. Have conversations with your athletes to ensure they fully understand that athletes are 100% accountable for doping… the buck stops with them. The 100% Me programme has been designed to help athletes navigate the world of ‘clean sport’. Encourage your athlete to download the 100% Me phone app. Ensure they fully understand that excuses are rarely accepted for ‘accidental’ doping … not using supplements removes the risk entirely. Ensure they understand that all their dietary requirements for great performances can come from good, athlete-centred, healthy eating. If you've found this information helpful, we've created The Athlete Place, our athlete-specific platform that will inform, motivate and inspire your athlete... Evidence-Based Research Our content is supported by: Hurst, P., Schiphof-Godart, L., Kavussanu, M., Barkoukis, V., Petróczi, A. and Ring, C., 2023. Are dietary supplement users more likely to dope than non-users?: a systematic review and meta-analysis. International Journal of Drug Policy, 117, p.104077. (View Paper)

Working in Partnership With: Here are our top tips to help ensure your athlete starts clean and stays clean. 1. Education Educate yourself and your athlete about the principles of clean sport, the importance of fair competition and integrity, the risks of doping, and the anti-doping rules. Ensure you (and your athlete) know what constitutes a doping violation. Stay up-to-date on anti-doping policies, rule changes, and changes to the prohibited substances list. For the last point, it's a good idea to follow UK Anti-Doping on social media as these changes will be announced here. 2. Communication Encourage your athlete to ask questions, express concerns, and share any experiences or pressures they may encounter.  Openly discuss any doping cases in the media and the consequences the banned athlete faces. This can help your athlete create a good attitude towards clean sport. Demonstrating respect for clean athletes will send a positive message to your own athlete. Importantly, these conversations also allow them to fully understand your views on doping and cheating, which can significantly reduce the chances of them going down this route.  3. Lead by Example Be a role model by promoting clean sports values, demonstrating sportsmanship, and emphasising the importance of playing by the rules.  Create the narrative that good performances come from hard work, good nutrition, and sleep rather than external factors like protein powder (and even ‘super shoes’, etc.). Avoid suggesting (and try to discourage) the use of ‘external performance enhancers’, e.g. the use of supplements. 4. Food First Approach Emphasise the importance of proper nutrition to provide all the nutrients the body needs to perform optimally... making supplements unnecessary. Most protein powders are made from milk... and a healthy diet containing milk and other food sources is likely to easily provide enough protein for all but the most elite, full-time athlete. So, chances are it's very unlikely your athlete 'needs' a protein supplement... Seek guidance from qualified sports nutritionists or healthcare professionals if you are concerned your athlete's nutritional needs are not being met. They can advise you, if necessary, regarding safe and legal dietary supplements. Remember, even vitamins, minerals, and herbal remedies carry a risk of contamination.   5. Supplements YOUNG ATHLETES DO NOT NEED THEM — NOT even protein shakes or powder. Your role as a parent is not to encourage them down this route but to instead make sure they understand that food from a good, healthy diet provides all an athlete needs, even for many at the elite level.  If they are already set on using supplements or have been recommended by a qualified sports nutritionist, always insist they use products certified by Informed Sport.   *ONLY EVER BUY PRODUCTS WITH THIS INFORMED SPORT LOGO 👇   6. Medication Awareness All medications, prescribed or bought over the counter, could contain prohibited substances… even simple flu remedies! This page on the UKAD website explains this well.  It is important to understand the rules surrounding the use of medications and the Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). UKAD's Medicine and TUE Hub has everything you need to know. Get into the habit of using the Global DRO search tool to check that medications/prescriptions do not contain banned substances. Occasionally, new medications, for example, are added to the list of banned substances. It is up to you to remain up to date with changes because saying you didn't realise will not overturn a doping ban! We recommend you follow UK Anti-Doping on social media for updates.    7. Supportive Environment This is a big one because social influence, especially during the teenage years, can be huge. Encourage them to surround themselves with like-minded peers and coaches committed to clean sports values. If they suspect someone within their training or competition environment of doping, encourage them to distance themselves from that person.    8. Accountability Finally, ensure they fully understand that they are 100% responsible for what goes into their bodies… Understand that ‘excuses’ will be irrelevant if they fail a test. The 100% Me education and information programme has an app designed specifically for athletes that provides more information about this. If you've found this information helpful, we've created The Athlete Place, our athlete-specific platform that will inform, motivate and inspire your athlete... Evidence-Based Research Our content is supported by:   Blank, C., Leichtfried, V., Schaiter, R., Fürhapter, C., Müller, D. and Schobersberger, W., 2015. Doping in sports: Knowledge and attitudes among parents of a Austrian junior athletes. Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports, 25(1), pp.116-124. (View Paper)

Working in Partnership With: Useful links 👇 Supplements info Medication Checker The Prohibited List 100% Me - For your athletes! Education on Anti-Doping and clean sport. Anti Doping Rules/Violations - Learn what you and your athlete can and CAN’T do. Drug Testing - How it works, what’s involved etc.