NADA starts blood sample testing

“Out of 74 samples collected by NADA during the month of May up to 10.05.2011,14 have been blood samples. Blood samples have been collected from 5 Wrestlers,4 Weightlifters and 5 Athletes at Patiala on May 10,” NADA Director General said in the release.

“Urine Samples were collected from 46 Athletes and 14 Wrestlers. The samples of wrestlers were collected at Sonepat while those of athletes were collected during the Grand Prix Athletics tournament at Patiala,” he said.

The NADA DG said that with the expertise and trained staff and testing facilities available in the National Dope Testing Laboratory,blood samples will be collected on a regular basis and in larger numbers.

‘Blood doping’ is the misuse of certain techniques and/or substances to increase a sportspersons Red Blood Cell mass,which allows the body to transport more oxygen to muscles and therefore increase stamina and performance.

There are three widely known substances or methods used for blood doping,namely erythropoietin (EPO),Haemoglobin Oxygen Carriers (HBOCs) and Blood Transfusion. In addition,CERA (Continuous Erythropoietin Receptor Activators) is a new form of EPO detected only in blood serum.

Since ‘Blood Doping’ increases aerobic capacity in the body,it is mainly misused for endurance events such as long distance running,walkers,cycling,marathon events. Growth Hormones which can also only be detected through blood sampling are misused in power events.

The recent most famous case of such doping was the charge of ‘Blood Doping’ on three-time Tour de France winner Alberto Contador though he had denied it.