Doping: what you need to know

Doping exists and we should not look away. As the Spanish Association for the Protection of Health in Sport (AEPSAD) explains, it is an evil that threatens the integrity of sport and the health of the athlete.

AEPSAD works to ensure the purity of competition, equality of conditions and above all respect for sports ethics.

We have all heard about doping, for TV cases that have occurred recently, but of course there are things you don’t know about, and today we want to put a little light on this issue.

Everyone who at some point in their lives plan to dedicate themselves to sports professionally should ask themselves the following questions:

1. Medications, what can I take and what can’t I take? The main responsible for any prohibited substance in your body is you, either accidentally, intentionally or unknowingly. Before taking any medication read the instructions on the package, or you can also check with the free mobile app NoDopApp. Always inform your doctors of your condition as an athlete and if you have any doubts you can contact AESDAP by phone at 91 7585750 or by email aepsad@aepsad.gob.es.
2. Can food supplements give a positive result in an anti-doping control?

As for food supplements, there is no guarantee that they do not contain prohibited substances, even if they are natural, because it may be the case that there are contaminations in the manufacture and even that the prohibited substances appear under names other than those on the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. Be especially careful when purchasing these products. You can check the certified food supplements through the website www.informed-sport.com, which is a quality mark confirming the absence of prohibited substances in this type of products.

3. What happens if I need a medication or supplement for my health?

It may happen that you need to use a prohibited substance or drug for medical reasons that is necessary for your health, in this case you must apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). Instructions and forms to apply for a TUE can be found at www.aepsad.gob.es.