Testing new doping testing technique at Tokyo Olympics

On May 21, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) announced that it will test dry blood testing at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. This is a new technique that is evaluated to create a potential turning point in the fight against fraud. cheat.

Illustration: Getty Images Speaking after the online meeting, WADA President Witold Banka stated that the new test method will complement existing anti-doping techniques. The dry blood test could mark a new era in anti-doping efforts, thereby helping to increase the number of tests for athletes. Witold Banka also said that the above testing measure has the potential to have a significant positive impact on athletes, anti-doping organizations and could be a turning point in efforts to prevent this form of abuse. this fraud. WADA announced that the new method will be tested at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, which are about to take place in Japan this summer. Meanwhile, the testers hope the technique will be used regularly at the Winter Olympics and Paralympics in Beijing (China) in February 2022. According to WADA, dry blood testing allows for better analysis of unstable compounds and makes it easier to test athletes in remote areas of the world where traditional blood samples are often difficult to transport. should be easier. With logistical and cost advantages, the dry blood test will allow agencies to test more athletes and collect more samples. Olivier Rabin, WADA’s head of science, says the cost of taking a dry blood sample is also lower than with conventional methods.