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Innocent Kurira, [email protected]

THE Premier Soccer League (PSL) has moved in to introduce random blood tests with a view of contributing to the fight against drug and substance abuse in sport.

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All players in the PSL will be available for the random tests.

In a memo sent to all clubs, players who will be found wanting after the tests will face disciplinary action.

“This serves to advise that following the recommendations from the PSL Sports Medicine Committee, we have officially commenced doping tests for all PSL players. The testing process began during Matchday 25 fixtures played last week in Harare and is being overseen by the Sports Medicine Committee to ensure compliance with international anti-doping standards,” reads the correspondence from PSL.

“The tests are being conducted randomly throughout the season and they are designed to detect the presence of prohibited substances and ensure that the sport remains free of performance-enhancing drugs. Any player found in violation of the regulations will face disciplinary action including potential suspensions and fines.

We expect full co-operation from all clubs in facilitating this important initiative,” the PSL further added.

In competitive sports, doping is the use of banned athletic performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) by athletes, as a way of cheating. As stated in the World Anti-Doping Code by WADA, doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the anti-doping rule violations set forth in Article 2.1 through Article 2.11 of the Code.

The term doping is widely used by organisations that regulate sporting competitions. The use of drugs to enhance performance is considered unethical, and is prohibited by most international sports organisations, including the International Olympic Committee. Furthermore, athletes (or athletic programmes) taking explicit measures to evade detection exacerbate the ethical violation with covert deception and cheating.

The origins of doping in sports go back to the very creation stage of sport itself.

 From ancient usage of substances in chariot racing to more recent controversies; in doping in baseball and tennis, doping at the Olympic Games and doping at the Tour de France, popular views among athletes have varied widely from country to country over the years. 

The general trend among authorities and sporting organisations over the past several decades has been to discourage the use of drugs in sport. The reasons for the ban are mainly the health risks of performance-enhancing drugs, the equality of opportunity for athletes and the exemplary effect of drug-free sport for the public.

 Anti-doping authorities state that using performance-enhancing drugs goes against the “spirit of sport”. – @innocentskizoe.