Doping

Why do we need to introduce doping tests in the IRF? The answer is simple. Because we want to send a signal to the rest of the sports that we will prevent the use of doping, conduct rafting sport even more professionally and bring the sport to a higher level!

In all professional sports we see nowadays an increased focus on athletes who struggle to reach the top. It also appears, whatever sport we are talking about, that we are no longer part of a world where only one, two or three individual athletes or teams, independently of other, are competing for the top. All athletes and teams want to join the top of the league and we see this in the rafting sport as well. Over the last 3-4 years we have seen increased competition among the teams in the top 10. The fight to become number one in the major international competitions has become more Intense and more teams present themselves in the fight for podium places. We like this!

In relation to the above, we unfortunately see in many sports an increasing number of doped athletes. Probably not yet in the rafting sport, but as the competition becomes more aggressive and the sport becomes more professional, this could lead to the use of doping among the athletes.

We know that the IRF is a federation working with an incredibly low budget at every international competition and it may therefore seem absurd even to think of doping tests of athletes because of the economic costs that are involved.

The Federation is working constantly to promote rafting sport and to provide an additional focus on the sport through the media, which in turn hopefully can help to assist the Federation’s financial situation. Precisely for this reason, people may also be inclined to ask themselves, why the funds available to the Federation shouldn’t continue to be used to promote rafting sport through the media.

The big problem is that if we promote the sport through the media, the sport must be at a higher level and even more interesting for spectators. A more professional sport will get a lot more attention through media, international associations, national associations and of course huge sponsors as well. Introducing doping tests in the IRF could be one of the steps that have to be taken to make the sport more professional.

In relation to the above mentioned, we must remember that one of the IRF’s long-term goals, is to get rafting sport closer to the Olympics. Trying to get to the Olympics is a challenging objective, but there is no doubt about that one of IRF’s next steps toward a more professional sport is to implement doping tests, starting with all international and continental competitions. Such an initiative would provide several benefits to the rafting sport and the IRF:

1. First of all (and probably most importantly) the initiative will send a signal to the rest of the sports, international associations and others, that the IRF will try to prevent the use of doping which is evident in many other sports, but probably not yet in the rafting sport.

1. We must not forget that one of the IRF’s other goals, in the struggle to become an even more professional sport, is to join the international association Sport Accord, previously known as GAISF (General Association of International Sports Federations) which takes care of international federations interests. One requirement that has to be fulfilled by any application to Sport Accord is an effective doping test system.

1. It will be in everyone’s interest if IRF can join an international organization. This will create a huge growth of the economy in the federation because of a greater focus on the sport and opportunities to develop the sport.

A conclusion to the above will be that we need to put our self in a position, where we keep developing the rafting sport and do some of the “big steps”, which can lead to a top professional sport organization.

If this issue have your interests, then take a look at some of the linked documents, which will explain and give options on how doping tests is possible for the IRF, show athletes position on doping tests and new recommendations from the IOC.

Test Distribution Plan / Athlete’s positions on doping tests /  Reccomendations from the IOC Congress 2009

Thanks for taking your time on this important issue.

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