Anti-doping panel backs UEFA initiatives

UEFA's anti-doping activities remain in constant evolution, with new innovations and developments demonstrating the European body's commitment to eliminating doping from football.

At its latest meeting in Nyon, the UEFA anti-doping panel, which supports the UEFA Medical Committee in its work and, more specifically, proposes UEFA's anti-doping programme and policy to the Medical Committee, dealt with a wide-ranging agenda which reflected the success and diligence of the work being undertaken in this sector.

The committee gave their support to the development of one of the most significant new developments in the UEFA anti-doping programme in recent years, which will see the implementation of a steroid profiling programme within the annual testing programme. This will significantly increase UEFA's ability to deter and detect doping by monitoring steroid parameters in a player's body on a longitudinal basis. Potential doping can be identified via a suspicious profile, rather than relying solely on the timing of a drug test, thereby acting as a further deterrent factor to players who might be tempted to cheat.

Anti-doping activities at UEFA are underpinned by the body's anti-doping regulations, a new version of which will come into force in January, following their ratification by the UEFA Executive Committee at its December meeting in Nyon. The new regulations were given support by the panel and they include a number of new provisions and amendments to make the regulations compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Anti-Doping Code – the core document that harmonises anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organisations across the globe. In addition, the UEFA regulations have also been harmonised with FIFA stipulations, and provide for regular consultation between the European and world football governing bodies to ensure a more uniform approach going forward.

The panel supported UEFA's proposal to implement an annual programme to store urine and blood samples. This will enable the re-testing of samples to allow the identification of previously undetectable substances – thereby acting as a further deterrent to players.

UEFA's doping control officers (DCOs) are an essential element of UEFA's anti-doping campaign. The 44 current DCOs are medical doctors who perform in and out-of-competition controls at matches across UEFA's competitions. The panel heard about the training and selection process through which UEFA chooses its DCOs, which includes knowledge of testing procedures, practical tests and a written examination.

Fifteen candidates were chosen at a workshop this summer to go through to the next phase of training, and they have been required to undertake an observation mission with an experienced DCO to learn the ropes of an increasingly crucial role. This mission involves watching an experienced DCO conduct a doping control at a UEFA match, and then conducting at least one doping control themselves under a DCO's supervision. More training missions are conducted if required until the candidate demonstrates readiness to operate to UEFA's high standards.

Testing statistics from the 2013/14 were presented. Last season, UEFA collected 2,198 samples (1,860 urine and 338 blood) across all its competitions, with 1,698 of them (1,360 urine and 338 blood) collected in the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League. In the UEFA Champions League, samples were collected both in and out of competition. There were no positive cases in either of these competitions. In other competitions, UEFA collected 500 urine samples.

The panel again emphasised the importance of UEFA's anti-doping educational programme, in particular vis-à-vis young players, who can be especially vulnerable to the dangers of drugs and banned substances as they embark on their careers. Education sessions are held by UEFA anti-doping staff at European youth final rounds, where players are taught anti-doping rules, the risks that could lead to an accidental positive test, and the danger which doping can have on a player's health. In addition, UEFA has been distributing some 25,000 educational leaflets to all those taking part in this season's UEFA competitions.

Feedback on the education sessions has been positive from national associations, who emphasise the significance of the key messages which are being transmitted, such as protecting football's image and safeguarding players' health. UEFA is planning to expand its anti-doping education activities, in particular to increase awareness among players and the public.