The 2012 Olympics are special. Total doping control is carried out not only before the competition, but also during their holding, as well as after the end of the competition. Moreover, a random check of athletes participating in the London Olympics was done even before the start of it. Such strict measures are aimed at putting a reliable barrier to the use of special drugs that multiply the strength and endurance of athletes.
Under the leadership of the head of the International Olympic Committee, total doping control will help exclude cases of victory for athletes who have taken, are taking or are planning to take special targeted pharmaceuticals that improve endurance and strength.
The doping control procedure remains unchanged. The athlete is asked to come for tests. He must appear within a few hours, enter a specially equipped room, select two containers for analysis, check the vessels for foreign matter.
The direct delivery of the analysis is carried out in the presence of a medical officer. Athlete Officials and Coach may attend the procedure.
After collecting the material for analysis, a number is glued onto the container and the contents are divided into two parts. The first and second samples are sealed. The control is carried out in the presence of a special code printed on the container. The surname of the athlete himself is not mentioned anywhere.
The result is announced to the athlete and his representatives within three days. If traces of prohibited drugs are found in the first sample of the analysis that was submitted to the laboratory, the second sample is examined.
An athlete can be disqualified and suspended from further competitions only if the results of the first sample are confirmed by the second. If, in the second sample, no traces of the presence of prohibited drugs are found, no sanctions are applied to the athlete, but doping control can be repeated at any time.
Currently, it is almost impossible to cheat doping control. Radioimmune, mass spectrometric, chromatographic and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay methods make it possible to determine with the highest accuracy all drugs that are in the urine or blood of an athlete.
But sometimes doping control gives unreliable results. If a person has an elevated hemoglobin level from birth, they may be removed from the start and sent to be tested for erythropoietin.
In addition, there is a new problem for drug control practitioners. Through gene therapy, athletes can obtain the gene that encodes erythropoietin. This will lead to the fact that the athlete will have high results while under doping, and it will not be possible to prove fraud.
