The National Anti Doping Agency of Germany (NADA Germany), together with the Institute of Biochemistry at the German Sport University Cologne and Sportradar, has initiated a six-month pilot project to further develop the testing program. In terms of content, the research project is concerned with the analytical possibilities of the Dried Blood Spot (DBS) method for detecting possible manipulations. For the collection of DBS samples, a new technical remote testing solution was developed, which will be tested for the first time during the project.
Technical and analytical advances in anti-doping are crucial for the protection of clean athletes and the guarantee of a doping-free competitive sport. The COVID-19 pandemic currently shows once again that a testing program based on direct contact between control personnel and athletes requires new and innovative approaches. In 2020, NADA Germany had already been able to successfully use the DBS technology in the remote procedure, one of three NADA Germany research projects to date on the use of DBS since 2015. The aim of this new project is now to build on the existing scientific findings and, with a newly developed remote testing solution, to carry out controls safely and without direct contact between control personnel and athletes.
At the same time, the collected DBS samples form a valid basis to better protect clean athletes from unjustified doping accusations, e.g. due to contamination or manipulation. Based on a wide range of research activities, doping violations in long-term stored samples can now be detected up to 10 years after the sample was taken. By means of progressive developments in doping analysis, it may also be possible to detect doping manipulations in the context of recurrent DBS sampling. Finally, the project serves to test and evaluate innovative, technology-supported testing procedures under the aspects of cost efficiency, time and effort savings.