Serious education on doping needed

Lazarus Sauti

R

esponsible authorities in sports should step up efforts in educating clubs about the dangers of doping.

This follows the doping case involving Zimbabwe and Dynamos midfielder, Devon Chafa.

Chafa tested positive for a prohibited substance before the June Zimbabwe-Egypt World Cup qualifier in Harare and has been hit with a 30-day suspension, which can be extended by another 20 days by the world football governing body if investigations are not completed.

He is banned from training and playing in any domestic, international, friendly or official matches and is expected to appear before a FIFA Disciplinary Committee on September 9, or alternatively provide a detailed explanation by September 16 before the conclusion of his case.

To show that serious education is needed, Chafa says: “There is not much education on sports medicine in the country. I did not know anything and it is not what I wanted. It is a lesson learnt by the football fraternity in Zimbabwe.”

Sharing the same sentiments, Monomotapa coach, Biggy Zuze, told one of the Zimbabwe’s daily newspapers that he had never heard of doping in the country until Devon Chafa’s case.

“I was surprised by Chafa’s doping case. It was my first time to hear of it in the country and I do not know anything about these drugs. I think something should be done to help soccer players understand more about these drugs,” says Zuze.

He adds: “We have medical practitioners in the country and they should know about these drugs. I am sure Devon’s (drug) was only prescribed without knowledge. Most of us have little knowledge in as far as prohibited drugs are concerned.”

The Monomotapa gaffer goes on to say that the Premier Soccer League (PSL) should put in place workshops aimed at educating players and coaches about doping.

Zuze comments: “It gives a bad image to the league and the whole country. I think doctors have a duty to inform players before they prescribe them these drugs. I think Zifa and PSL should do something about this before it’s too late.”

Harare City coach, Bigboy Mawiwi, echoed Zuze’s sentiments and noted that football authorities should organise refresher courses where stakeholders in the football fraternity learn more about doping.

“I think in this regard we are still lagging behind and we need to be taught about it. Therefore, the responsible authorities should do something.

“Qualified specialists are there and we should make full use of them to help us fight this,” remarks Mawiwi.

He goes on to say: “Because of lack of knowledge most players might be taking the same drugs. It is really a cause for concern.”

To minimise the doping crisis in Africa, clubs need to get resources. This means football authorities should budget for these doping resources.

World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada)-accredited doctor Nick Munyonga notes: “Both Zifa and the Premier Soccer League (PSL) should have a budget for doping education and I am willing to provide my services for free. Zifa should budget for out of competition doping exercises whilst the PSL should budget and cater for in competition doping exercises.”

Doping education – without doubt – requires a lot of financial resources. This means that soccer administrators and clubs in Africa should look for sponsors who should help them in hiring experts to take care of such crucial areas.

Dr Munyonga believes stakeholders in the sporting industry should make the environment conducive.

“While we are the technocrats and we do not own the players, it is now up to Zifa to make the environment conducive by conducting workshops across the board on doping,” notes Dr Munyonga.

It is critical to note it is the responsibility of both officials and sports players to learn and know the rules of sports.

Tommy Sithole, the secretary-general of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (Anoca), says: “Sport has rules. If you do not play by those rules, or you do something stupid no matter how unintentional, you are given the red card.”

Sithole goes on to say: “Usain Bolt got the red card at the World Athletics Championships in Daegu for jumping the gun, unintentionally, I might add. The world had been waiting for this race.

“He made a mistake and he got thrown out of the race.”

It is also the mandate of responsible authorities to educate athletes about prohibited substances and to reduce to zero the use of these drugs.

“We have to educate all our athletes about prohibited substances. I emphasise “prohibited” to distinguish it from illegal.

“Prohibited substances can be something one takes for their running noses. If it contains certain ingredients, it becomes prohibited.

“To be a bit ridiculous, coffee consumed to certain levels could theoretically deposit such amounts of caffeine in one’s body an athlete could test positive and be thrown out of a competition,” says Sithole.

Notably, athletes should stick to the principles of fair play and abstain from doping since they are role models.

More so, a no tolerance front must be put up and a strong force must be created to uphold it to make doping a thing of the past in African sports.