FASANOC
FASANOC’s Medical Commission held a virtual Anti-Doping Workshop 15th April, 2023 for officials expected to represent Fiji at the Commonwealth Youth Games and Pacific Games later this year.
The Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee's (FASANOC’s) Medical Commission held a virtual Anti-Doping Workshop on Saturday 15th April, 2023 for officials expected to represent Fiji at the Commonwealth Youth Games and Pacific Games later this year.
"While we’ve held workshops and training sessions on education and awareness on sports injuries, sports specific injuries, injury prevention, management of injuries, preventative strapping, nutrition, and mental skills training every year, Anti-Doping is now an important part of fair and clean sports and something that the FASANOC Medical Commission is focusing on," said chairperson Dr Jone Nasome.
The workshop was aimed at outlining the responsibilities of both athletes and officials with regards to Anti-Doping prior to, during and post Games.
"Athletes, coaches and officials have no excuse now that everything can be found online," he said.
Dr Nasome said World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) has a list of Prohibited Substances and Methods which indicates what substances and methods are prohibited in sport and when which can be found online for anyone to see.
"There are apps like the Global Drug Reference Online or Global Dro even WADA has an app which is available for free on Google Play and the Apple App Store," he said.
"These apps provides athletes and support personnel including coaches and officials with information about the prohibited status of specific medications based on the current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List."
Dr Nasome said the List is updated annually following an extensive consultation process facilitated by WADA.
"It is important to know about anti doping rules and regulations now as athletes can be tested in and out of competition at any time," he said.
The consequence of breaking Anti-doping Rules can result in sanctions either fro, a 1 year to 4 yearor a lifetime ban.
Dr Nasome, stressed the importance of athletes and officials being aware of the rules and most importantly the "principle of strict liability."
"It basically means that each athlete is strictly liable for the substance(s) found in his or her body, as a result of testing" he said.
"An anti-doping rule violation occurs whenever a prohibited substance is found in an athlete, whether or not the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or was negligent or otherwise at fault."
He said this was why it was important for athletes to take responsibility and learn about these violations and not depend solely on managers or coaches to know everything.
Dr Nasome throughout the workshop stressed on athletes, coaches and officials knowing about Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Forms, Anti-Doping Management System or ADAMS Whereabouts, Medications Declaration and Anti-Doping Violations.
“We cannot stress enough to the athletes that athletes and their support personnel know the rules and regulations covering drug testing and anti-doping which must be followed at all times," he said.
Meanwhile Team Fiji's Medical team will conduct their first medical checkup for Western based athletes, coaches and officials as part of the extended squad of Team Fiji to the Commonwealth Youth Games or Pacific Games this Saturday 22nd April at the Fiji National University's Namaka Campus in Nadi from 8am.
For athletes, coaches and officials living in the Eastern division, their medical checkup is on April 29th at Verve Physio along Rewa street from 8am.
