Doping hunt for Belarusians
The Belarusian athletes fear drinking twice from the same bottle, and complain that the International Anti-Doping Committee tests them several times a day. The Belarus athletics team has returned from the recent Athletics World Championship in Osaka, Japan, complaining about the undue attention from the doping control committee. Olympic champion Yanina Karolchyk tells the European Radio for Belarus that every athlete must report his/her whereabouts to the International Athletics Federation so that doping tests could be made at any moment. Yanina suggests that the Belarusian athletes are virtually hunted for.
“Неабходна пас“It is required to report the whereabouts of the athletes three months ahead. During the recent world championship, I was dope tested right after the qualifications. Just imagine that others are either resting or preparing themselves for the finals, while you are simply sitting for several hours and waiting for the test results. Then, you arrive at the hotel, rest for a couple of hours and go back to the finals… It looks like they are preventing you from quiet preparations. I have an impression that the international federation picks several athletes and hunts for them by coming to the training sessions or to your home,” Yanina says.
Yanina has served a two-year doping disqualification. Therefore, it is understandable that she is subjected to excessive attention from the doping control committee. At the same time, “clean” Nadzeya Astapchuk, the World Championship shotput silver medalist, was dope tested 12 times within the period of several months. Once, she was tested three times a day.
“I was tested at least twice per month. At times, I would be tested today, but they would come again on the next day. It turns out that instead of resting ahead of the competition, you have to go somewhere, give samples and waiting for something. For example, I was tested three times within one day in Japan. They had a problem with the density of my urine. As a result, I had to wait for seven hours,” Nadzeya said.
In the light of the doping scandals, the Belarusian athletes are vigilant about what they eat and drink during competitions. Margaryta Turava, this season’s footrace world leader, told the European Radio for Belarus that it is very important to watch carefully what water you are drinking if your competitors are around.
“Basically, I don’t fear that they could add something to your food. Yet, when you come to a world championship where all the athletes, coaches and all the rest live almost like one big family, anything can happen. Personally, I don’t drink from opened bottles. I would pick only a closed one from the table or take along my own drink from home. During competitions, I never drink twice from the same bottle. I sip once and throw the bottle,” she said.
Mikalay Kruchynski, the chairman of the National Anti-Doping Agency, believes that doping test is simply one of the game rules in the contemporary sports.
“This is the same as washing your hands before taking food. There are eight anti-doping rules, set out in the World Anti-Doping Code. Rule number one is to detect a banned substance in a human biological fluid. For example, if an athlete takes an anabolic steroid, there are certain reagents that will show that a prohibited drug was used,” Kruchynski said.
Nevertheless, the athletes tend to think that numerous doping tests for the Belarusians are a demonstration of envy.
“Being a country of less than 10 million, it is a very good result to occupy the 11th position in the world. So, they are trying somewhat to unsettle our preparations,” says Yanina Karolchyk.
Photo: minsk.kp.ru
“Неабходна пас“It is required to report the whereabouts of the athletes three months ahead. During the recent world championship, I was dope tested right after the qualifications. Just imagine that others are either resting or preparing themselves for the finals, while you are simply sitting for several hours and waiting for the test results. Then, you arrive at the hotel, rest for a couple of hours and go back to the finals… It looks like they are preventing you from quiet preparations. I have an impression that the international federation picks several athletes and hunts for them by coming to the training sessions or to your home,” Yanina says.
Yanina has served a two-year doping disqualification. Therefore, it is understandable that she is subjected to excessive attention from the doping control committee. At the same time, “clean” Nadzeya Astapchuk, the World Championship shotput silver medalist, was dope tested 12 times within the period of several months. Once, she was tested three times a day.
“I was tested at least twice per month. At times, I would be tested today, but they would come again on the next day. It turns out that instead of resting ahead of the competition, you have to go somewhere, give samples and waiting for something. For example, I was tested three times within one day in Japan. They had a problem with the density of my urine. As a result, I had to wait for seven hours,” Nadzeya said.
In the light of the doping scandals, the Belarusian athletes are vigilant about what they eat and drink during competitions. Margaryta Turava, this season’s footrace world leader, told the European Radio for Belarus that it is very important to watch carefully what water you are drinking if your competitors are around.
“Basically, I don’t fear that they could add something to your food. Yet, when you come to a world championship where all the athletes, coaches and all the rest live almost like one big family, anything can happen. Personally, I don’t drink from opened bottles. I would pick only a closed one from the table or take along my own drink from home. During competitions, I never drink twice from the same bottle. I sip once and throw the bottle,” she said.
Mikalay Kruchynski, the chairman of the National Anti-Doping Agency, believes that doping test is simply one of the game rules in the contemporary sports.
“This is the same as washing your hands before taking food. There are eight anti-doping rules, set out in the World Anti-Doping Code. Rule number one is to detect a banned substance in a human biological fluid. For example, if an athlete takes an anabolic steroid, there are certain reagents that will show that a prohibited drug was used,” Kruchynski said.
Nevertheless, the athletes tend to think that numerous doping tests for the Belarusians are a demonstration of envy.
“Being a country of less than 10 million, it is a very good result to occupy the 11th position in the world. So, they are trying somewhat to unsettle our preparations,” says Yanina Karolchyk.
Photo: minsk.kp.ru
