The Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports FINCIS carried out and ordered 2,774 doping tests in Finland and abroad in 2016. The Olympics and Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro, as well as this year’s Suomi 100 anniversary celebrations had their impact on the focus areas of last year’s testing activities.
The total number of doping tests in 2016 was slightly higher than in the previous year. In addition to the national testing programme, the international competitions held in Finland and the tests conducted at them also add to the total number. Included in the total number are also the out-of-competition tests of foreign athletes that are conducted at the request of other anti-doping organisations. The doping control activities planned for 2017 reflect the fact that the Winter Olympics are less than a year away.
“FINCIS will be responsible for the testing at several international competitions this year. Carrying out the national testing programme combined with a large number of international competitions is a challenge. However, thanks to our team of competent, active and flexible doping control officers and assistants, we will have no difficulty in providing top quality doping control services. It is testimony to the high quality of our testing activities that we received a great deal of praise from both athletes and the International Ski Federation for the doping control at the Nordic World Ski Championships, says Doping Control Manager Katja Huotari
Study shows: athletes believe in clean sports
In 2016, FINCIS carried out a survey on athletes’ views concerning doping control. The survey was responded to by 159 athletes.
The majority of respondents felt that the testing volumes in their own sport in Finland were appropriate. The athletes gave a very positive assessment of the doping test situation. The test situation got very good reviews, 55 per cent of respondents gave it the best rating on the scale.
Seven per cent of respondents felt that, over the past year, doping had influenced the result of a domestic competition, and 23 per cent felt that it had influenced the result of an international competition. The athletes saw the significance of doping as greater in individual sports than in team sports.
However, the vast majority of respondents felt that it was possible to reach the national top (94.2 per cent) and international top (71.3 per cent) of their sport without doping. The majority of respondents believed that the users of doping substances are more likely to be caught in the future and the number of users will decrease.
FINCIS is responsible for anti-doping activities, prevention of manipulation of sports competitions, and spectator comfort and safety in Finland. The auxiliary name of FINCIS in anti-doping activities is the Finnish Anti-Doping Agency FINADA.
Doping test statistics
Further information:
Katja Huotari
Doping Control Manager, FINCIS
Tel. +358 40 843 3897