Managers and Administrators and anti-doping?
Athletes are not the only people who should be concerned about the use of drugs in sport. Managers and administrators are an integral part of every sport and, for the most part, are well aware of the importance of keeping sport drug free and the need for a familiarity with drug education and drug testing programmes.
The negative outcomes from a positive test for an athlete impact not just on the athlete but also on the people around him/her and the sport itself. Frequently this can be prevented by ensuring that simple steps are taken which will drastically reduce the potential for positive tests and particularly those that result from "inadvertent" use of a prohibited substance.
What you need to know...
It is important that management, and administrators accept that drug testing is very much a part of their sporting environment and that they can (and in fact must) be part of the anti-doping programme if it is to be effective. Managers are an important link between the drug testing programme and the athletes. Managers can assist in making sure that the athlete's experience with drug testing is constructive and hassle free.
They can do this by being aware of the requirements of the programme (which is to be governed by the World Anti-Doping Code), and to also encourage cooperation and professionalism in the way that athletes approach testing. Drug testing is invariably inconvenient, however, understanding and support from management helps considerably to ensure 'buy in' from the athletes and a co-operative approach from all.
What steps can managers/administrators take?
The first and most critical step is to assess the extent to which the anti-doping programme intersects with the duties/responsibilities you have.
Administrators must ensure that:
- Proper and up to date policies are in place.
- The requirements of the Drug Free Sport NZ are being met, e.g. in the supply of information on events, training camps, athlete whereabouts, the distribution of education material etc.
- Anti-doping education is incorporated into development/academy programmes.
- Responsibilities are properly assigned to other administrators and or team managers so that the requirements of the testing programme are understood and met at every level.
- In particular when teams, which may be subject to doping control, are selected, responsibility for dealing with doping related matters is specifically assigned.
- Appropriate testing facilities are provided for event and squad testing.
- A liaison person is appointed for event testing according to the specifications of the Agency.
- A system is in place to deal with reports of positive tests, refusals or other violations according to the requirements of the rules.
Managers must ensure that:
- They understand the testing process if their athletes may be subject to testing.
- Responsibility for dealing with doping related matters is properly assigned and taken seriously.
- Athletes are properly prepared for testing and have all the information they need. This may include seeking a seminar from the Agency at an appropriate time.
- Athletes understand the need to check all medications / supplements and declare asthma medications as necessary (this is especially important when traveling).
- Late selections do not fall through the cracks and do receive anti-doping information on joining the team.
- They act to facilitate and assist the testing when it involves team members. (Even where the testing is inconvenient/annoying a helpful rather than obstructive approach from the Manager will invariably make matters easier for the athletes.)
- Where athletes rights (real as opposed to perceived) are not being properly protected by the process Manager's should seek to discuss the matter with the DCO in charge privately, in an effort to resolve any issues in a non-confrontational manner. (Note: advising athletes to refuse testing is an extreme measure with potentially serious consequences for the athletes.)
- Where the team is traveling overseas, any special conditions that may apply are understood.
- Where a team is traveling overseas, commonly needed medications are sourced in New Zealand, checked, and used as necessary.
Drug Free Sport NZ's experience is that while the vast majority of administrators and managers are very supportive a few are not. In fact over time we have had more difficulty with managers and coaches than athletes. It has become very clear that in most cases, in their efforts to support athletes, those who challenge the process make the whole affair much more difficult, not just for the Testing Officials, but also the athletes themselves who invariably want to get the test completed with as little fuss as possible.
Drug Testing
Drug testing (or doping control) is an internationally accepted procedure for the supervised collection of a urine and/or blood sample by suitably trained personnel. This procedure is designed to protect the athlete from potential outside interference and at the same time maintain the athlete's confidentiality.
For information about the testing process and the responsibilities of officials refer to the following resources:
Athlete Information Guide
