The AFLD and its German counterpart, NADA, have signed a staff exchange agreement to learn from each other’s best practices. First experience sharing with an agent from the education department of each agency: Lara Belke (NADA) and Armony Dumur (AFLD).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Can you briefly describe the education department of your national anti-doping agency?

Lara Belke: “NADA began organising information workshops on anti-doping around fifteen years ago to raise awareness among young sportspeople. We have continued to grow and now have a dedicated education department with 8 staff.”

Armony Dumur: “The AFLD has had an education department since 2021. Education was previously attached to the communication and prevention department created in 2018. We currently have 8 agents with very different backgrounds and training, but all equally useful in raising awareness among the Agency’s various publics.”

What is the main thrust of your educational offering?

LB: “We have developed the ‘Together against doping’ educational programme to support federations and clubs in preventing doping, particularly among young athletes. We provide them with teaching materials and an e-learning content application, and we regularly organise webinars and workshops in the field.”

AD: “We also offer a wide range of educational resources for athletes and their support staff (coaches, medical staff, parents, etc.). In particular, last year we launched PODIUM, the AFLD’s e-learning platform. It includes several courses that we have developed for our different audiences. In partnership with Paris 2024 and as part of the 2024 Olympic Games, for example, we have developed a course on anti-doping for the general public. In addition to these resources, we can also provide face-to-face or remote training for athletes and/or federations, as was the case in the run-up to the 2024 Olympic Games.”

The AFLD and NADA both offer an online search engine to check that a drug does not contain a substance banned by WADA. NADA also offers a list of authorised drugs. What is the purpose of this tool?

LB: “Not all pharmacists are familiar with the list of banned products, and athletes want to know what they can buy without taking any risks. The aim is to reassure them by listing as many everyday products as possible so that they can treat themselves with complete peace of mind. We work with a pharmacist who helps us update this list with the most commonly used products and those that are appearing on the market.”

What is your strategy regarding anti-doping educators?

LB: “We have around fifty educators that we employ on a freelance basis. They all receive six hours of theoretical and practical training before being accredited by NADA to carry out interventions. Their accreditation is renewed every six months.”

AD: “Since 2021, we have trained and accredited more than 220 educators in federations, professional associations and other sports structures (INSEP, CREPS, etc.). The training for anti-doping educators is divided into 2 parts: the first part is an e-learning course, to be completed at your own pace, followed by two days of face-to-face training, at the Agency or in the regions, in the presence of 2 trainers. Anti-doping educators are accredited for two years following successful completion of the course.”

What is your position on nutritional supplements?

AD: “We remind athletes that there is no such thing as zero risk when it comes to consuming food supplements. Unlike the drugs industry, the food supplements industry is not regulated, and these products may contain banned substances that are not mentioned on the label or packaging. That’s why we recommend that sportspeople consult a health professional to carry out a nutritional assessment and evaluate their needs before taking any supplements. It is also essential to eat a healthy, balanced diet first.

For those who still wish to use supplements, it is advisable to choose products bearing the European AFNOR EN NF 17444 standard. Although this standard does not guarantee the total absence of prohibited substances, it does reduce the risk. The AFNOR standard is a voluntary standard under which manufacturers undertake to comply with certain manufacturing requirements to ensure that their products do not contain prohibited substances.”

LB : “As a doctor in food science and nutrition, I’m very keen to educate athletes and make them aware of their responsibilities when it comes to using food supplements. It’s up to them to assess the potential risk of doping or contamination before deciding to consume a particular product. To help them do this, we have joined forces with other organisations to create the ‘Cologne list’ of supplements laboratory-tested by the Center for Preventive Doping Research at the German Sport University Cologne. This list can be accessed online and is updated regularly. It significantly reduces the risk of consuming a contaminated supplement, even if the laboratory only tests a specific batch and cannot commit to the entire production process.”