NADO-SVG, the national association responsible for anti-doping education among the sports fraternity, recently concluded a number of out-of-competition tests on national athletes on behalf of their respective national bodies.{{more}}

The tests were conducted according to the International Standards on Testing, highlighting the commitment to clean sport by the National Olympic Committee and the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The NADO office, situated at the Sports Council offices in Arnos Vale, declared that any national level athlete can be asked to provide a sample for analysis at any time, with no advance notice given to the athlete. The NADO added that the samples are analysed by a WADA-accredited laboratory in Canada and results sent to the relevant national sports association and the National Olympic Committee, where the sample number is matched to the athlete’s name. “Whether you are a Usain Bolt or an up-and-coming star, the procedure is exactly the same, wherever you may be,” the NADO office said.

When asked about the prevalence of marijuana locally, the local NADO stressed that cannabinoids are regarded as prohibited substances “in competition”. However, the World Anti-Doping Code focuses on both banned substances and methods in and out of competition.

An example of a “method” would be blood doping, which relates to the enhancing of oxygen supply, and gene doping, which relates to the use of genetically modified cells to enhance an athlete’s performance.

Strict liability is the fundamental principle of WADA’s Code. This means that the athlete is personally responsible for any prohibited substance found in their system. Coaches can also be sanctioned. A positive test result can seriously affect an athlete’s career, with sanctions ranging from a caution to a life ban for repeated violations.

The NADO-SVG collaborates with the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organization (RADO), since St Vincent and the Grenadines is one of 15 member countries. The RADO’s headquarters is located in Barbados and chaired by Dr Adrian Lorde. Seventy-five out of competition tests were offered by WADA to the RADO’s 15 member countries. For more information, email nadosvg@gmail.com or visit www.caribbeanrado.com. NADO -SVG can also be found on Facebook.