How not to get caught on doping. Memo to Russian athletes

Suspect coach to teach my grandmother to identify pest doctor, do not open Supplements - what to do to avoid becoming a victim of disqualification.

For the next text on doping is not needed any news occasion - these occasions appearing regularly the last fifteen years. We decided to draw up a memo on the safety for the Russian athletes, whose purpose - to best protect them from accusations of the use of illegal drugs. Yes, an important clarification. Memo This is an honest athlete. We believe that these in Russia enough. The rest - those who believe that the taking, and across most unlucky - can not read.

The first point: get the personal physician

Beforehand get your doctor you can trust. I'm talking about the specialist is pharmacological profile. All products that you use, it must go through an assessment. This is the man who will always be in touch, the one who most quickly and competently be able to assess the risk from the use of certain funds - from the treatment of the common cold to support muscle tone.

I must say that in Russia, this practice is not yet generally accepted. I know that the vast majority of members of the national teams are no expert who would be responsible for the pharmacological part. There is a regular team doctor responsible for everyone and everything (though ordinary readers may be surprised when I tell that not all national teams secured a doctor there in principle). This is clearly insufficient. Remember: the main and often the only victims will be only you - that you are responsible for everything that is found in your body. Decide for yourself, you need an expert or not. My advice is to meticulously search, inquire, consult, specify, do not believe in the word of the recommendations, but find such a man. This will save you in the future on many issues.

By the way, I would not have narrowed the circle of searches sports doctors - quite the opposite. It takes an experienced health professional having basic pharmaceutical skills. This may be a district of the city polyclinic. But he must be guided freely in the WADA Prohibited List and its annual updates - believe me, the presence of professional education is not a big problem.

Why do it? Here is a simple example: there is such a drug - Phenotropil on it in 2006 got biathlete Olga Pyleva. Behind this name hides a 4-Phenylpiracetam (carphedon) - it was under these names present in the WADA Prohibited List. Only here in the summary to Phenylpiracetam they are not shown, in fact - there is the dosage for athletes. Reasonable, but not having special education people rightly decides that this is so, then there is no danger. And yet - at least two years disqualification. It is foolish to exclude such cases and requires the personal physician-pharmacologist.

Point two: avoid doctors pests

I beg your pardon, but I have a reasonable suspicion that very few professionals in our sports medicine are constantly improving their skills. At the same time, the pharmaceutical industry is moving forward, supplements manufacturers are constantly changing the assortment, analytical chemistry improves drug discovery techniques (which is why believe the terms written in the summary output of the drug has often can not - remember the story with buy Meldonium.

I am what if your team has a designated sports physician - it does not mean that you have to believe a word he says unequivocally. No, do not give up his services. I urge a check and then recheck its competence. At least to start Googling his biography, ask around people on his last place of work, to know how often it appears in the training seminars. And after all this, check out his personal recommendation from a doctor, we talked about above. I understand that sounds very complicated, but a modern sports places new demands on the professionalism and responsibility of all the participants.

I want to emphasize: do not blindly believe the so-called word of mouth - in other words, recommendations. The sad experience shows that the advice of those who know, and not those who can really help. More than once I came across who managed a hundred times physicians make mistakes (not to pick up their characteristics that word, but to "pests"), who quietly continue their professional activities. Migrate from team to team, from athlete to athlete, they continue to recommend, as they continue their "subversive" activities.

The third point: be suspicious with the coach

Be cynical and in a good way suspicious. Check all that gives you not only a doctor but also a coach. Whether he wants to or not only good, noble or not, it works with you from childhood or not - he is also a man, and he, too, can make mistakes. In the end, he can deliberately mislead you - and it happens. Be sure to have on hand a list of used drugs and the schedule of reception - this, however, applies not only to those that are issued by the coaches.

Do not hesitate to ask why and what the coach gives you. Try to know the exact use of the drug. Do not be afraid to look stupid, running into a backlash or "hurt his disbelief." Speak in a calm atmosphere - Normal mentor must understand your logic. Explain that to answer to the anti-doping services to you. You risk your future career and thank you. The coach is likely to continue to operate. You are on their third or fourth decade of stay with nothing. If the coach does not understand - decide whether to continue working with him further.

To what do not call - just stating that the current sport very cruel thing. To fight is necessary, not only in the stadium, but also outside it. You want to stay pleasant and non-controversial man and to serve two or four years - it's your choice.

Paragraph Four: to explain with the grandmother

I do not advise to skip this point, although it may seem insignificant. All the relatives up to the grandmother should be as hard and intelligibly explain two things. First, your diet is different from the usual. You can not eat the food and drink untested untested drinks. Do not try to help exotic dishes and recipes - as far as aid is a safe diet. With the meal is better not to experiment - this, incidentally, it applies to you. The second thing: a threat not only to the use of hanging over you, and possession of illicit drugs. Maximum carefully monitor the contents of first aid kits. If there are illegal drugs in sport - be accompanied by a prescription.

In addition, during the doping officers visit is not necessary to hold a prominent position with testosterone cream, which use your great-uncle. Or syringes for injections aunt. Or dropper for Mom. Doping officers in precisely this fact will make a report, and then a long and not necessarily successful procedure explanation. And let your other half intentioned secretly slips into a suitcase packing tablets for a headache or pressure! On the overseas training camp was coming with a search warrant the police - and that's when this packaging can play against you. Relatives need to understand: you - a sapper who can not make a mistake. And they - the members of the sapper family.

Paragraph Five: do not take his eyes off doping officers

Learn your rights and obligations under anti-doping officers visit. They should know by heart you personally, and not a coach or team doctor. I will not tell the basic rules - read and learn for yourself. To focus on practical aspects.

Do not ignore the ADAMS system - believe me, it is extremely easy to use and you can help out greatly. I know that many athletes in team sports not even have a personal account in the ADAMS, and it is a big mistake. Do not trust the coach or doctor filling in, it is your duty and your same alibi in case of problems.

When you visit inspecting behave themselves as open and friendly - do not give reason to put on record obstructing their work. Remember: in the proceedings rather believe them than you. All manipulations with your sample (split into two parts, refilling, packing, etc.) must only be carried out in front of you and be in your field of vision. If you are distracted, you could not watch even a few seconds for the process - make sure it's in the record.

If the density of your sample is not enough and you want to "supplement", that before leaving for a second procedure, make sure that the bulb with your first "portion" was sealed with a temporary filling. Her number is required to be entered in the record. There should be no open containers outside the athlete's line of sight - if it happened again safely record this fact in the report.

Point Six: Keep records!

When filling out the protocol, there are two important counts. The first - where the athlete writes about preparations data that he used seven days before sampling. This does not prevent noting drugs that have been used previously. Accordingly, we return to our past recommendations: exactly know and write down everything that you are taking. The second important count - comments on the process. Any action that you are suspicious or not the relevant regulations, recorded in the minutes! fill language - ideally, of course, English. But if there is no confidence in the adequate knowledge of the language - write in Russian, not scary. When proceedings will be used by a notarised translation.

At the end of the visit you are required to give a copy of the report - if not, ask. Keep all copies until the end of his career. These leaves do not pull pocket. Do not give them to doctors or trainers, then end not find. Keep records as a passport. Keep even in the case of negative samples.

Right now, for example, I'm the one thing athletes in her late June took a sample, but only in early November reported problems (although the idea of the sample should be analyzed within seven days). If we did not have a copy, we would not even understand the circumstances of the case: when they took the sample, where the conditions in which that took at that time ... Of course, it is possible its request to the international federation - but to begin with we would have formulate its position, and how to do it without an understanding of the simplest facts of the case?

Point Seven: read the labels
Even after consultation with your doctor, continue to be careful in the use of substances - especially new ones. Carefully read the label and include logic. If it says "anabolic effect" - whether the substance tested three times, do not use it. It's a risk.

Here I use the lesson to encourage Yulia Efimova, who two years ago did not pay attention to the specific name of doping on the label. Or was the story with our weightlifter Goltsova Darya, which was disqualified for one year in 2014. In its sample found traces of cocaine. It turned out that the competition in South America it is used at the normal tea bag, without paying attention to the name. And he called saying: Mate de Coca. There was a long discussion in the CAS, and weightlifter punished anyway - maybe not as tough as they could. The reasoning was as follows - by the way, pay attention to it and remember! - A professional athlete should act reasonably and to avoid even the possibility of a risk.

Number Eight: leave one package

Another important rule is never "allowed" food supplements (dietary supplements). There are prohibited and permitted substances, and there are mixed manufacturer of dietary supplements - is known only to him. No wonder RUSADA in each his speech does not recommend their use in sport. Each new batch can be various combinations of substances, there may be hundreds. Do you want to risk - please, but then do not complain. Cases of finding banned substances after use seems to be proven dietary supplements - a few dozen a year.

But even in this case, if you can not live without some BUD - must do three things. Keep your receipt (invoice) for purchasing. Put the unopened one sample from each batch to an independent analysis later. And leave a little powder on the bottom of the showdown, the pot - this is to conduct an internal analysis (the most for themselves) required for building lines of defense. Finally (this is what I have already said, but again will not be superfluous): journal - when, what and how much you have used. This may facilitate the process of your proof of inadvertent doping. I would recommend even save receipts of the restaurants, but we will talk more in the second half, when we discuss your steps in case of problems.