2016 Rio Games: Anti-Doping Testing

2016 Rio Games: Anti-Doping Testing

Responsibility for the anti-doping testing program during the 2016 Summer Olympics rests with the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The testing period began July 24, 2016, when the Olympic village opened, and continues through August 21, 2016, the date of the closing ceremony. The IOC-issued anti-doping rules apply to the following personnel and entities during the 2016 Games:

"[a]thletes entered in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games or who have otherwise been made subject to the authority of the IOC in connection with the Rio 2016 Olympic Games....";

"[a]thlete support personnel and persons operating under the authority of the IOC in connection with the Rio Games....";

the IOC;

other persons, organizations, or entities "participating in, or accredited to, the Rio 2016 Olympic Games including, without any limitation, International Federations [IFs] and NOCs [National Olympic Committees]"; and

"any Person operating (even if only temporarily) under the authority of the IOC in connection with the Rio 2016 Olympic Games."

Entities Involved in Anti-Doping Activities

In addition to the IOC, other participants in the testing process include the Rio 2016 Organising Committee for the Olympic Games, the Brazilian Doping Control Laboratory, the Anti-Doping Division (ADD) of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), and the IFs. The IOC Medical Commission "requires that the local Organising Committee ... collect urine and blood samples" from athletes competing in the Games. The doping laboratory analyzes the samples. The ADD's jurisdiction includes hearing appeals during the 2016 Games and handling any alleged doping violations resulting from the re-analysis of samples collected during the 2016 Games. In cases where the ADD determines an individual has committed an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV), it may declare the individual ineligible for any competitions at the 2016 Rio Games in which he or she had planned to compete. The applicable IF is responsible for any sanctions, if warranted, beyond the 2016 Rio Games.

What Are Anti-Doping Rule Violations?

A positive test means the "presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers [has been found] in an athlete's sample." This type of ADRV is an adverse analytical finding. A nonanalytical ADRV may involve an athlete, or an athlete support person, who has committed another type of World Anti-Doping Code rule violation. Athlete support personnel include coaches, trainers, managers, agents, team staff, officials, medical personnel, paramedical personnel, parents, and any other persons "working with, treating or assisting an athlete participating in or preparing for sports competition." Nonanalytical ADRVs include tampering, or attempting to tamper, with doping control; possessing a prohibited substance or a prohibited method; and trafficking, or attempting to traffic, in prohibited substances or prohibited methods.

What Substances and Methods Are Prohibited?

The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA's) Prohibited List identifies the substances and methods athletes are prohibited from using. The list's distinction between time periods (in-competition and out-of-competition) for some prohibited substances, and the inclusion of sports-specific prohibited substances, reflect an assessment that certain substances may be more likely to be abused at certain times (e.g., training periods), or for certain sports. Steroids, some hormones, and diuretics are examples of substances that are prohibited at all times (in-competition and out-of-competition). Methods that are prohibited at all times include manipulation of blood and blood components, chemical and physical manipulation, and gene doping. Some substances are prohibited only in-competition; this list includes, for example, stimulants and narcotics. The final category of the Prohibited List includes substances prohibited for only certain sports. For example, alcohol is prohibited in-competition for archery. Within the category of sports-specific prohibitions, beta-blockers are unique. Beta-blockers are prohibited only in-competition for some sports (e.g., golf and skiing), while their use is prohibited at all times for several other sports (e.g., archery and shooting).

Testing at Previous Summer Games

Although the number of tests to be carried out during the 2016 Summer Games is unknown, Table 1 shows 5,051 doping tests were conducted during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. This number was slightly higher than the number of tests conducted during the 2008 Beijing Olympics (4,770; 6% increase) and noticeably higher than the number of tests conducted during the 2004 Athens Olympics (3,667; 38% increase).

Table 1. Doping Tests Carried Out During the Summer Games

1968-2012

Year

Location

Number of Athletes Participating in the Games

Number of Tests

Number of Cases Recordeda

1968

Mexico City

5,516

667

1

1972

Munich

7,134

2,079

7

1976

Montreal

6,084

2,054

11

1980

Moscow

5,179

645

0

1984

Los Angeles

6,829

1,507

12

1988

Seoul

8,391

1,598

10

1992

Barcelona

9,356

1,848

5

1996

Atlanta

10,318

1,923

2

2000

Sydney

10,651

2,359

11

2004

Athens

10,625

3,667

26b

2008

Beijing

10,942

4,770

25c

2012

London

10,500

5,051

9

Sources: International Olympic Committee, "Factsheet The Fight Against Doping and Promotion of Athletes' Health Update – January 2014"; International Olympic Committee, "Olympic Summer Games"; International Olympic Committee, "Seoul 1988"; International Olympic Committee, "Barcelona 1992"; International Olympic Committee, "Atlanta 1996"; International Olympic Committee, "Sydney 2000"; International Olympic Committee, "Athens 2004"; International Olympic Committee, "Beijing 2008"; International Olympic Committee, "London 2012."

Notes:

a. The "number of cases recorded" appears to refer to the number of violations of anti-doping rules that occurred during the Olympic Games, unless noted otherwise. This number apparently does not include the results of any re-tests that occurred in subsequent years.

b. The number of cases recorded for 2004 includes, in addition to adverse analytical findings, other types of violations. These include "non-arrival within the set deadline for the test, providing a urine sample that did not conform to the established procedures, and refusal to comply with the procedures or to deliver urine." International Olympic Committee, "Factsheet The Fight Against Doping and Promotion of Athletes' Health Update – January 2014."

c. In 2008, the total of 25 recorded cases included 6 horse-doping cases and 5 cases that were recorded after further analysis of samples subsequent to the conclusion of the Games. Ibid.