11 September 2015

UEFA strengthens doping fight with steroidal module

UEFA will introduce the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) steroidal biological passport for clubs competing in UEFA-sanctioned competitions for the 2015/16 season, as part of an effort to strengthen its anti-doping measures. The steroidal module of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) is a relatively new development, approved for use by sport by WADA in September 2014. It is different from the haematological module of the ABP, which monitors the athlete’s blood over time to check for variables. The steroidal module monitors an athlete’s urine samples over a period of time to form a ‘steroid profile’ that can be used to check for variables that might indicate steroid use.

Other measures UEFA is introducing include a strengthening of its whereabouts rules; long-term sample storage to enable retroactive testing; plus a continuation of its blood and urine tests in and out of competition. UEFA aims to establish agreements with all the National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) of teams competing in the Champions League.

‘So far, agreements have been signed with the NADOs of Germany, Netherlands, Spain, Belgium (Flemish), United Kingdom, Sweden, France and Italy, with more to follow as the programme expands across Europe’, read a UEFA statement issued today. ‘This cooperation will allow for more harmonised test distribution planning, will reduce unnecessary duplication of testing, and will facilitate the sharing of information relating to player biological profiles and intelligence data to identify potential doping’. This will mean establishing agreements with NADOs in Belarus, Croatia, Greece, Israel, Kazakhstan, Portugal, Russia, Turkey and the Ukraine before the tournament kicks off on 15 September (qualifying took place from 30 June to 26 August).

UEFA also plans to implement its largest-ever pre-tournament testing programme for Euro 2016, which is being hosted by France. All players ‘with the potential to be selected for participating teams’ will be subject to testing from 1 January 2016 in a programme incorporating NADOs and France’s anti-doping agency (AFLD). Analytical blood and urine tests will be carried out at all matches. UEFA currently conducts 2,000 drug tests (urine and blood) per season across all its competitions.

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