ITF To Consider Using Biological Passport

Written by: Staff on 22nd January 2013

ITF To Consider Using Biological Passport

epa03069961 The shadow of Novak Djokovic of Serbia as he serves during his men's singles third round match against Nicolas Mahut of France at the Australian Open Grand Slam tennis tournament in Melbourne, Australia, 21 January 2012. EPA/MAST IRHAM |

Suspicion of doping in all sports is now a major issue in the light of the Lance Armstrong admissions and the International Tennis Federation is determined their players are not tainted in anyway. Therefore moves are afoot to implement biological passport for all those who travel on the ATP World Tour and WTA circuits.

Biological passports are currently employed in both cycling and track and field athletics, two of the sports where proven doping has been prevalent in recent decades. Basically they are a method of collecting and comparing biological data from competitors, so enabling any change from the normal level can be detected to spot doping.

Dr. Stuart Miller, the ITF’s Executive Director, Science & Technical Strategies admitted serious consideration was being given to form a wide ranging database in international tennis. However he added: “Our aim would be to implement it, but implementation is reasonably complex.

“It’s not just go and collect samples. We have to get all the pieces together before we’re fully operational.”

Miller added that finance could be an issue with the ITF’s current anti-doping program, which which operates under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) code and is funded by proceeds from the four Grand Slam events, the Davis and Fed Cups and the ATP and WTA, is believed to cost approximately $US 2 million.

The figure includes $400,000 for the administration of the program, paid for solely by the ITF, which covers staff, education, court costs and insurance.

“We are looking with our partners at the ATP, WTA and grand slams to identify areas we think we can improve,” added Miller.

“We think we need to increase the proportion of blood testing we do under the program and we think we could also do with tending to increase the proportion of tests we do out of competition.”

Roger Federer, head of the ATP Players Council admitted the Armstrong case had shocked and once again opened the eyes of everyone to doping in sport.

“It just really saddens me to see that someone did this for such a long time,” he said. “Obviously he’s [Armstrong] hurt his sport in a big way, even though he helped it in the beginning. But now the burden they live under, all other sports maybe as well.

“I’m an active athlete right now and it’s not fun times really to be in sports to a degree. I guess all I needed to see was the first few minutes of the interview and then I knew what was the deal, and the rest I don’t really care.”

©Daily Tennis News Wire

Topics: anti doping, Atp, International Tennis Federation, Itf, Lance Armstrong, Sports, Tennis News, Wta