Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver are over and there has been no serious doping scandal so far. Many journalists ask if this is possible and similar question arose probably in minds of many sports fans.

According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) the organizational committee of the Games (VANOC) made over 2000 blood and urine takings from sportsmen immediately after the end of their competition or race and also when they rested. Many sportsmen and sportswomen were tested several times during their stay at the Olympic Games. There has been only one case of anti-doping rules violation – Slovak ice-hockey player has a positive urine test, prohibited pseudoephedrine was found there. It is a substance from a group of special stimulants with toleration level more then 150 micrograms in 1 mili litre of urine. Pseudoephedrine was after many debates and discussions given on the list of prohibited substances in 2010 as it has stimulation effects on sports performance. It is allowed in training as it is present in some medicine used to cure cold. It can be also found in some dietary supplements but none of NUTREND products contains this substance. As it is a special substance according to the list of prohibited substances and doping methods, the sanction can be when the presence of pseudoephedrine is proven low, it can be only a warning or shorter time of suspension (less then two years) if the sportsman proves that the substance was not used for sports performance stimulation and increase.

Were the Winter Olympic Games 2010 pure from the point of view of doping? Based on the so far findings we may answer yes. Nevertheless we have to wait with the definite answer as there may appear some subsequent substance in conserved samples which cannot be found and detected now as the accessible and available laboratory standards do not allow it. This can take several years but anti-doping laboratories do not rest which you could see after Summer Olympic Games in Peking. Sinners were detected later.

PhDr.Jaroslav Nekola