FISU Seminar: Anti-doping Programme

GWANGJU – The third seminar offered by the FISU to athletes and officials had the purpose of raising awareness amongst students and their coaches on the anti-doping code of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA Education Manager Tony Cunningham spoke about the dangers of doping, the duties of an athlete and the joint anti-doping programme of FISU, Gwangju Universiade Organising Committee (GUOC) and WADA.

Student-athletes and officials were asked to do a quiz on the WADA code which many Universiade participants haven’t familiarised with so far. Also Cunningham mentioned the medical risks of forbidden supplements, showed how to use medication that is on the list of forbidden substances without being accused of doping, and explained who are the victims of substance abuse.

Another main part of the seminar was the doping control itself. Cunningham made clear that athletes do not have a lot of privacy when it comes to doping control. Being monitored attentively while giving urine is only one of many rules athletes have to respect.

After giving an overview of WADA’s work Cunningham drew the attention to the educational programme of FISU, GUOC and WADA which was launched at the Summer Universiade 2015 during the first day of the FISU Conference on 11 July 2015 at Gwangju City Hall.

Max Länge (GER), FISU Young Reporter