Tackling drugs in sport

         Under the terms of the Olympic Charter, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) appoints a Medical Commission with responsibility for the development and implementation of the IOC Medical Code. Its role includes: to develop rules to prohibit classes of substances and methods intended to enhance and/or having the effect of enhancing athletic performance and/or to safeguard the health of athletes;
to accredit laboratories to test for those substances; and to oblige any athlete chosen to be tested for use of prohibited substances during the Games.The IOC Medical Commission retains the responsibility for the doping control program in the lead up to and during the Games. The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) is responsible for setting up the infrastructure to enable the doping control samples to be collected in accordance with the IOC Medical Code. Results of tests will go directly from the laboratory to the IOC Medical Commission.The SOCOG Chief Medical Officer is responsible for developing and delivering the health and medical services at the time of the Games. SOCOG has also appointed a Manager, Doping Control to specifically address the planning and implementation of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Doping Control Program.

Doping Control during the Olympic Games will be conducted under the IOC Medical Commission's guidelines and supervision. It is expected that approximately 2000 urine samples will be collected from athletes from all competition sites during the Games. The IOC Medical Commission, in consultation with each International Sports Federation (IF) and SOCOG will determine the number and distribution of tests in each sport.In a parallel situation, the Paralympic Doping Control Program is the responsibility of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Medical Commission. It is expected that approximately 600 urine samples will be collected from athletes from all competition sites during the Paralympic Games.
Samples will be analysed at the Australian Sports Drug Testing Laboratory, which is the IOC-accredited laboratory in Sydney. While Australia has a number of well trained professional anti-doping officers, many more will be needed, so recruitment and training of these specialist volunteers is a priority for the Doping Control Program. Contingency plans will be developed to cover the possible development and introduction of new technology, including the use of blood sampling to detect banned substances.

The doping control process — how it works

Selection of athletes at the competition venues is based upon final results or random selection — the International Federation representative from the relevant sport is responsible for the selection. The selected athlete is notified by a SOCOG doping control officer immediately the event is over and is accompanied by a doping control officer from that moment until the collection process is completed.The athlete, with his/her athlete representative (and language services if required), reports to the doping control station, usually after the medal ceremonies and media conferences. When the athlete is ready to provide a urine sample (this can take 20 minutes or many hours) he/she provides a sample under direct view of a same gender doping control officer.

Preliminary tests are done by a doping control officer to verify that the sample is in a suitable state for testing — e.g. not too dilute. Partial samples (not enough volume) and/or unsuitable samples may result in the athlete needing to provide a further sample either at the competition site or at the Polyclinic.The athlete, assisted by a doping control officer, secures the sample into two, uniquely-numbered security containers marked A and B. The paperwork is completed by the doping control officer and signed by all present, including the IOC Medical Commission representative, who must be present for all doping controls and must sign each form.Once the sample collection session is completed the samples are placed in a transport bag and couriered by secure means to the laboratory. Completed paperwork, identifying the athlete and his/her sample is forwarded to the Chair of the IOC Medical Commission.The laboratory is responsible for the analysis of the samples, and the provision of the results to the IOC Medical Commission.If a positive test is confirmed (after the testing of the A and B samples), the IOC Medical Commission will conduct a hearing and determine what recommendations regarding sanctions it will make to the IOC Executive Board, who make the final determination.The Court of Arbitration is available for any appeals resulting from this determination.The primary objective of the SOCOG Doping Control Program is to ensure a secure chain of custody of the athlete and his/her urine sample throughout the notification, collection and transportation processes.