Insight | Doping Control 08/09/2012

Pitt-Alexander Wibawa and Natalia Horvathova, SUI, won the Swiss Ten Dance Championship in Regensdorf near Zurich. But they didn't get to savour their victory much - at first. They had barely stepped down from the podium when their chaperon whisked them off ... to the doping control!

Pitt-Alexander wrote about the experience for dancefloor-magazin.ch. Editor Reinhard Egli allows WDSF to publish Pitt's insights here too! Thanks!

I was very surprised when the championship director approached us, the finalists, just prior to the awards presentation and, as it turned out, when the top four finishers were summoned to a doping control. At first, I jokingly considered that we had somehow failed to dance to the bars, but then we were whisked off to the domain of the controllers.

Each couple was assigned a chaperon who flashed an identification badge and then started to watch over us. We were not allowed to drink anything or go to the toilet until after the awards presentation, and until all further proceedings were explained to us. Otherwise we could have tainted the tests by getting rid of prohibited substances on the toilet – or by drinking fluids that could mask the presence of doping.

Immediately after the winners were announced, we were all brought to a room on the floor below. We had to sign a few documents and were told what needed to be done. Not easy, as we started to get nervous by now. Even though the overall atmosphere was fairly relaxed and the friendliness of the people involved in the controls exceptional, the proceedings were marked by precision. We exchanged some stories, drunk a lot of water and filled in a form with our personal information.

The water was free, but nobody managed to go to the toilet with our chaperons. We all were too concerned that they would watch us! Even more: we were not allowed to wash our hands with soap until after we went to the toilet. Hands with soap on it could also taint the urine samples, and the presence of any other chemical was strictly prohibited.  The chaperons were also vigilant when it came to ensuring that it was our own urine that went into the sample.

David was first in getting rid of the water. We were told exactly how much liquid was to be submitted for the tests. The quantity was to be divided into two samples – obviously by us – one of 30 ml and the other of 60 ml. Another part was to be checked for quality and density.

Then it came down to sealing and packaging both samples – something also done by us. After all, no chaperon wants to stand accused of tampering with our samples after a positive test.

What really amazed me are the costs for these doping controls. One test amounts to roughly 400 Swiss francs (320 Euros) – minimum.

It was an interesting experience, one that I would not mind repeating in the future. Only our families had to put up with a very long wait until it was all done. We should get the results in about three weeks.

Pitt-Alexander Wibawa

Article courtesy of dancefloor-magazin.ch

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