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Anti-Doping at VANOC: the Journey to Clean Winter Games

2009-10-22 09:58 Kazan 2013

Oct 21, 2009 - Every Olympic and Paralympic Games Organizing Committee faces the challenge of providing an extraordinary Games experience including a doping-free sport environment. The Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) is taking the unique approach of emphasizing both anti-doping education and detection/deterrence.

VANOC has embraced the challenge with vision, passion and expertise by putting together a state-of-the-art anti-doping program ever since Vancouver was selected as the Host City of the XXI Winter Games six years ago. There are two main aspects to VANOC’s Anti-Doping Program: detection/deterrence and education.

Testing, Testing and Testing

Nearly 2,500 blood and urine tests — 2,000 for the Olympic Games and 425 for the Paralympic Games — will be collected. This is a significant increase in the number of samples from previous Games and the most number of doping control tests in the history of the Winter Games. “It will send a very strong message to athletes that doping is unacceptable,” said Jeremy Luke, VANOC’s director of Anti-Doping.

All of these tests will be analyzed in an anti-doping laboratory located at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The laboratory opened on October 21, 2009 and during the Games it will be operated jointly by VANOC and L’Institut national de la recherche scientifique — Institut Armand-Frappier (INRS). In addition to this collaboration with the INRS, VANOC also has a unique partnership with the Canadian Anti-Doping Agency to use experienced doping control officers, staff and intellectual expertise.

The Anti-Doping team wants to ensure that athletes feel comfortable during the doping control process. For this purpose, 700 volunteers will be trained and will experience specific anti-doping procedures to act as doping control officers, blood collection officers and chaperones during the Games. “We will have a series of workshops during the fall that include both theoretical and practical exposure,” Luke explained.

In the final months leading up to the 2010 Winter Games, the Anti-Doping team will finalize preparations for the laboratory, which has been certified by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in September. Educational material will also be completed covering International Olympic Committee and International Paralympic Committee rules for athletes and their support personnel.

Prevention and Education

In its mission to offer doping-free sport and a level playing field for athletes, the Anti-Doping Program also focuses on prevention and education. VANOC is the first Organizing Committee to implement an Athlete Outreach Program in partnership with the WADA.

The Athlete Outreach Program was developed in collaboration with numerous International Sport Federations using the WADA model. The program was introduced to athletes during sport events organized by VANOC in 2008 and 2009. It includes WADA’s anti-doping quiz — available in 20 different languages — as well as education and information material such as:

· banned substances and practices

· making safe and smart choices regarding over-the-counter drugs

· athletes’ rights with drug-testing

· the consequences and realities of using performance-enhancing drugs

During outreach events, athletes were able to play the quiz in which 10 anti-doping questions were randomly selected from a pool of 45. Do you want to try the WADA quiz?

Making a Difference

The goal of the program is to reach, inform and educate athletes before they arrive at their field of play. “We feel it’s extremely important to work with them and ensure they have all the information they need in advance of the Games to make the right decisions when it comes to anti-doping,” Luke said.

Retired Canadian cross-country skier, three-time Olympian and member of the WADA Foundation Board, WADA’s Athlete Committee and the VANOC Board of Directors, Beckie Scott believes education and outreach make a huge difference for athletes. “It’s a critically important piece of the anti-doping landscape. Athletes and their support personnel absolutely must have access to updated and relevant information, so that they can be educated on the dangers and consequences of doping as well as the importance of competing ethically,” she said.

Scott hopes that VANOC’s commitment and initiative paves the way for future Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committees to put greater effort into reduce doping and unethical sport. “VANOC’s commitment is admirable and demonstrates a genuine interest in clean fair Olympic and Paralympic sport,” she said.

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