ITF gears up for advanced anti-doping tests
Ossian Shine
Tennis chiefs may be forced to introduce blood testing to back up new advanced urine tests for the blood-boosting agent EPO and other new superdrugs, the International Tennis Federation said on Tuesday.
New tests, including blood screening and a more advanced system of urine testing, could be in place before the Australian Open in January next year, the ITF's executive director Debbie Jevans said.
ITF lawyers are currently working on amending their regulations to allow blood testing of players -- currently not in the ITF rules -- if the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) deems it necessary as a back-up for advanced EPO urine testing.
The ITF currently spends $1 million on doping tests each year. A basic urine test -- which can detect the presence of steroids -- costs $150.
The more advanced urine test -- which would detect EPO and newer blood-boosting drugs including the more powerful NESP -- costs up to $500.
"There has been some confusion whether or not blood testing would be or was required and that is why we have not been doing it," Jevans said.
NOT PLEASANT
"And we do not want to put our players through blood testing unless they need to go through it.
"Having a needle stuck into you is not very pleasant, so until it is necessary, and that has been clarified, we have not been doing it," Jevans said.
"Also we did not want to be in a position where we got a positive (EPO urine) test result but then it wasn't upheld because we did not have a blood back-up.
"That is why we have not been doing the advanced EPO urine test."
Jevans said the ITF expects WADA to announce on September 15 that blood tests will be required as a back-up for any EPO urine testing. When that announcement is made, the ITF will begin blood screening and advanced urine testing.
WADA was established by the International Olympic Committee in 1999 to promote and coordinate the fight against doping in sport internationally.
ITF president Francesco Ricci Bitti is on the WADA board.
Last year, 700 tennis players -- men and women -- underwent basic urine tests -- each top 10 male player was tested on average more than seven times.
OFF-SEASON
Since dope testing was introduced seven years ago there have been 8,000 tests carried out.
Of those 8,000 just seven players have tested positive.
Last year only 50 of the 700 tests were conducted out of competition. Jevans said this was because the "off-season" in tennis was so short.
"But we are about to sign an agreement with WADA and under that agreement out-of-competition doping will be increased and conducted by an outside body as well as by the ITF," she added.
Jevans said the reason the ITF had not already signed an agreement with WADA was over disagreements regarding procedure and policy.
"Confidentiality is the main reason," Jevans said. "We did not want our players names out there in public after just the 'A' sample. We believe a players is innocent until proven guilty.
"You need an 'A' sample, a 'B' sample and a tribunal. We do have strict liability, but not before the 'A', 'B' samples and a tribunal has found an athlete guilty.
"Also we did not want the whereabouts of our players to be public, for example for out of competition testing. Our athletes are very high profile, there can be problems with stalking."
