Anti-Doping Tests before World Cup
With the June 11 date finally approaching, teams are vigorously preparing for the ultimate prize in football, the World Cup trophy. All eyes have been on the teams and their chances, but less attention was given to FIFA and the organisers and the problems they faced. From the chances of a terror threat, to portents of a natural disaster, they have been through it all. However, this time another issue has cropped up and that too of players using banned substances.
In light of this, FIFA has decided to conduct anti-doping tests just prior to the commencement of the World Cup. The routine that has been decided upon is that eight players would be selected from each of the thirty two teams to be tested. The idea behind the testing is to have a ‘clean’ World Cup. The Medical Chief, Michel D’Hooghe, who will be overseeing the test’s said that around five hundred and twelve tests would have been conducted by the time the World Cup will be over. Hence the testing will not only be conducted prior to the World Cup but it would happen at random during the course of the tournament as well. Thus there will be two hundred and fifty six blood and urine test before the tournament and the same number during as well. This would ensure that banned substances are not being used by any member of the team and would also act as a red alert for the players.
During the course of the World Cup, after sixty four matches, two players would be picked from each team to be examined bringing the total number of tests to an impressive tally of five hundred and twelve through a thorough check in World Cup history. There have been no scandals surrounding the World Cup 2010 thus far and out that is the way the organisers and FIFA want it to remain. They do not want a repeat of the scandal that broke out in 1994. It was back then when Argentina’s current coach was caught using a cocktail of banned substances, and then barred from playing in any of the World Cup matches. D’Hooghe was the medical officer at that time also and he described it as one of the toughest orders that he had to make. It is a well known fact through out the sporting world that football has the least amount of such scandals. The game is relatively free from the use of banned substances. Similarly D’Hooghe is also confident that there is no culture of doping amongst the current crop of footballers. FIFA too is hoping no such player would have the same fate this year as Maradona did back in 1994.
Giving an interview to the Associated Press with regards to doping amongst footballers, D’Hooghe made it very clear that only 0.3 percent of the 35,000 footballers examined annually would test positive, that too mostly for the use of marijuana or cocaine. A very minute majority actually tested positive for using anabolic steroids, just a mere nine cases. He gave the credit for this number to the increase in medical care given to players and also the advancement in terms of injury prevention. He said that even though player’s routines have now become even more stringent and the pace of the game has increased manifold, it is a medical marvel that so many players stay away from banned substances. The constant training camps representing their nations and also playing football for their leagues are becoming a constant strain for the players.
Their time off has also been reduced. However their care in the hands of medical professionals and physiotherapists is what is keeping the game of football clean.
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