Drug Testing at the World Cup 2019

[Wayne Komer]

Drug Testing at the World Cup 2019

September 13, 2019

Complaint: 2/2 But after 1st game I spent literally 2 hours from 19:57 till 21:56 for the doping test with Rusada hired by FIDE instead of resting and prepare for the 2nd game. Why so long? Why it was not WADA? Was I randomly selected?! I hope to play better soon.

Ruslan Ponomariov, September 11, 2019

https://twitter.com/Ponomariov/statu...76255941234688

Two responses:

FIDE, September 12

As per WADA procedures, FIDE has to select a National Anti-doping Organisation that is a member of WADA: in this case, RUSADA. The doping control testing is done only in WADA accredited and approved laboratories.

Four players were randomly selected for doping control after the first day of play at the World Cup in Khanty-Mansiysk. These players were selected using an Electronic Number Generator in the presence of a FIDE representative, Dr. Marape Marape (Chairman of FIDE Medical Commission).

The reason why it took two hours for Mr Ponomariov to complete the test are purely physiological. There was not a single minute of delay due to the actions of supervisors or organizers. Dr. Marape Marape was personally present during the entire procedure and answered all the questions that Ruslan asked him, including one about the selection of players for doping control.

We are very sorry for the inconveniences that this may have caused to him. However, compliance with WADA requirements is one of the mandatory conditions for the IOC to recognize chess.

__________

WADA = The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is a foundation initiated by the International Olympic Committee based in Canada to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against drugs in sports. The agency's key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code, whose provisions are enforced by the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport.

_________

From the World Cup official site:

- Our guest is Dr. Marape Marape, the Chairman of FIDE Medical Commission. Are doping tests done under your control and your guidance?

- Yes, indeed. All the doping control at the World Cup and other official FIDE events is done directly under my control and under my supervision as the Chairman of FIDE Medical Commission.

- Are the players selected randomly?

- Yes, they are. For the first round of this event, the selection was done completely randomly using an electronic random number generator. The players were listed according to their latest FIDE ratings and then four players were chosen completely randomly.

- What is the procedure for the later rounds?

- We use different methods. For the initial rounds, we use random and as the championship proceeds, we use targeted testing during the later stages. We are testing the top two highest rated players and the finalists. If the finalists have already been tested then the two who lost in the semi-finals should also be tested. The criteria are very transparent.

- What is the role of the RUSADA, the Russian Anti-Doping Agency?

- RUSADA is what is called a national anti-doping organization. According to the policy of the World Anti-Doping Agency and FIDE as the testing and managing, we appoint a national anti-doping organization in the country where the chess event is held. In this case, it is held in Russia, so FIDE appointed the Russian anti-doping agency. RUSADA collects the samples and sends them for lab testing. The results management and any punishment are done by FIDE directly.

- Why do the doping test take so much time sometimes?

- Doping tests don’t take a very long time under the normal circumstances. Like in this case, most tests have taken around 20-30 minutes maximum. The potential problems are beyond our control, like, for example, for one player in this World Cup there was a purely physiological reason for this. If a player, for example, cannot produce enough sample, there is a clear protocol that is followed. The players have to be given enough time so that they can produce the minimum amount of sample required. Then you have to give them some fluid to take and wait for them to be able to produce enough sample. That was the only reason in this case. There was not even one minute that was wasted by the doping control officers because they were working directly under my control and I was making sure that the process was as efficient and as cautious as possible to the players. I was there the whole time and I supervised the whole process. There was never any delay. In the end, the players were actually happy because we answered all their questions and they were satisfied. When we asked for any comments, the players were all the same: no comments. “

https://khantymansiysk2019.fide.com/en/news/293/

[Aris Marghetis]

I have worked before as a "chaperone" for sports drug testing. We are given the selected athlete, and then without warning, we politely approach the athlete. But one of the first points made is that they MUST STAY WITHIN SIGHT until they are "handed over" to the actual person taking the sample. If they escape our sight, then the test is normally an automatic fail. What happens though, being realistic, is that this "shadowing" by the chaperone and then the actual sample-taker induces a bit of stress. It is COMPLETELY NORMAL, especially the first time ever, to have difficulty producing enough sample, or even any sample. It's worse for sports like hockey and marathon running, where the athlete often needs quite a while to re-hydrate enough to provide the sample.

I say over time, as this happens more and more to elite chess players, they'll get used to it. Random testing (even during training) happens all the time in other sports, and it's no big deal anymore.

[Ian Findlay]

I

I say over time, as this happens more and more to elite chess players, they'll get used to it. Random testing (even during training) happens all the time in other sports, and it's no big deal anymore.

What worries me, is that the list of banned drugs is very very long. The lay person has to know both the generic name of the drug and all the synonyms. For example, aspirin or Acetaminophen, would have hundreds of synonyms. It does not surprise me when athletes get caught for banned substances, which often do not even enhance their performance. I suppose over time, elite chess players will get acquainted with the list very quickly.

[Ken Craft]

Drug testing for chess players borders on the idiotic.

[Fred McKim]

Drug testing for chess players borders on the idiotic.

FIDE states "We are very sorry for the inconveniences that this may have caused to him. However, compliance with WADA requirements is one of the mandatory conditions for the IOC to recognize chess."

[Ken Craft]

So leave the IOC. This is sheer stupidity.

[Brad Thomson]

This is sheer stupidity.

It is certainly not a stroke of genius.

[Kerry Liles]

I have worked before as a "chaperone" for sports drug testing. We are given the selected athlete, and then without warning, we politely approach the athlete. But one of the first points made is that they MUST STAY WITHIN SIGHT until they are "handed over" to the actual person taking the sample. If they escape our sight, then the test is normally an automatic fail. What happens though, being realistic, is that this "shadowing" by the chaperone and then the actual sample-taker induces a bit of stress. It is COMPLETELY NORMAL, especially the first time ever, to have difficulty producing enough sample, or even any sample. It's worse for sports like hockey and marathon running, where the athlete often needs quite a while to re-hydrate enough to provide the sample.

I say over time, as this happens more and more to elite chess players, they'll get used to it. Random testing (even during training) happens all the time in other sports, and it's no big deal anymore.

Aris, I am curious about one aspect - what is the sample size (minimum) that is acceptable? I am wondering whether they need 5cc or half a litre or what exactly? :)
Seriously, I agree with Ken - drug testing for chess players is idiotic. I say the hell with the IOC. It isn't like being part of the IOC will actually benefit FIDE in some meaningful way? (happy to hear otherwise if there is a tangible benefit...)

[Aris Marghetis]

Aris, I am curious about one aspect - what is the sample size (minimum) that is acceptable? I am wondering whether they need 5cc or half a litre or what exactly? :)
Seriously, I agree with Ken - drug testing for chess players is idiotic. I say the hell with the IOC. It isn't like being part of the IOC will actually benefit FIDE in some meaningful way? (happy to hear otherwise if there is a tangible benefit...)

Kerry, I don't exactly recall the minimum sample size (I was a "chaperone" until the "sample-taker" took over), but I believe it would be similar to the sample one would give for a regular physical.

Regarding the strong comments from some people on this forum how chess doesn't need drug testing, well, I disagree. For example, being recognized by the IOC can only increase the profile of chess, which cannot hurt in our timeless striving to ... raise the profile of chess. Then there is the matter of potential actual cheating. I am not an expert on what quantities of what substances would give "unfair" advantage, but to assume there can never be any doesn't seem responsible to me. For example, we busted professional football players for abusing high quantities of Ritalin (whose medicinal intent is to help with ADHD, narcolepsy, etc.). They did it to elevate levels of mental focus. Now, I don't know if abusive use of Ritalin (for example) would grossly affect chess ability, but what if there is some drug that could? To me, it just seems prudent to establish and maintain a culture of reasonable drug testing. Will this ever become as great a threat as silicon monster help, my instinct says no, but how can we know before someone figures out how to do it? One way is broad testing that flags irregularities for further testing, scientific investigation of potential effects, etc.

[Brad Thomson]

My personal position is not necessarily against drug testing, but against the unfair manner in which certain players are randomly chosen and then emotionally intimidated as a natural and unavoidable result. There must be a better way than the mechanism in place. Test everyone at the same time possibly, but then there are the "logistics" problems that this leads to. I do not have the answer, but again, the way it was done in this case is definitely wrong and unfair. No system will be perfect one would suppose, but the one in place is certainly improper and needs to be looked at.

[Aris Marghetis]

My personal position is not necessarily against drug testing, but against the unfair manner in which certain players are randomly chosen and then emotionally intimidated as a natural and unavoidable result. There must be a better way than the mechanism in place. Test everyone at the same time possibly, but then there are the "logistics" problems that this leads to. I do not have the answer, but again, the way it was done in this case is definitely wrong and unfair. No system will be perfect one would suppose, but the one in place is certainly improper and needs to be looked at.

I very strongly agree Brad! Compared to other sports which have been doing testing, random, in and out of competition; for DECADES, chess is within a tough learning curve. Even simply checking for phones, there's been horrible examples of elite players being disturbed during games. That MUST be improved. I remember giving the analogy to someone high-up-there that we'll never see a cyclist in the Tour de France get pulled over IN THE MIDDLE OF THE RACE, for a urine sample, lol. And yet some competitions still randomly (but not everyone believes randomly) disturb a player in the middle of a game. Alas, there doesn't seem to be much crossover between mainstream/Olympic sports and chess, so we're in this situation of trying to improve. At least that attitude is good.

[Mike McDonald]

Maybe I'm a bit of a cynic but I would guess drug testing does more harm than good in chess.

Having spent a decade of playing poker (no drug testing) at the highest level where I'd guess roughly half of my opponents used various supplements to aid their play- I just think when playing a game 90% of the work and 90% of the benefit to performance enhancing drugs in is done away from competition. If Magnus got so good by taking Adderall every day to aid his study- it will be long since out of his system by the time a tournament rolls around and he can pass a piss test. Or smuggle in clean piss, or have the tester on his payroll when I'm sure FIDE doesn't have the financial resources to properly run these tests.

All in all I think drug testing tends to penalize the honest and the dishonest will usually find a way around getting caught. And beyond that none of these performance enhancers will add that much in game. I'd guess the ideal cocktail of sleeping meds, anti-anxiety meds and stimulants add between 20-50 ELO

[Brad Thomson]

I think the performance enhancing drugs in chess are those for the most part that you use and experience the effects of immediately before and/or during play. Many of us play better chess if we have a cup of coffee for example. There are those of us who will play a better game if we smoke a joint ten minutes before game time. There may still be those who need their cigarette breaks and this will help their play. These are legal substances, at least in this country, so what is to be done? Nothing, it seems to me, is the answer. While chess certainly wants to be IOC friendly if possible, it may not be possible.

[Aris Marghetis]

Maybe I'm a bit of a cynic but I would guess drug testing does more harm than good in chess.

Having spent a decade of playing poker (no drug testing) at the highest level where I'd guess roughly half of my opponents used various supplements to aid their play- I just think when playing a game 90% of the work and 90% of the benefit to performance enhancing drugs in is done away from competition. If Magnus got so good by taking Adderall every day to aid his study- it will be long since out of his system by the time a tournament rolls around and he can pass a piss test. Or smuggle in clean piss, or have the tester on his payroll when I'm sure FIDE doesn't have the financial resources to properly run these tests.

All in all I think drug testing tends to penalize the honest and the dishonest will usually find a way around getting caught. And beyond that none of these performance enhancers will add that much in game. I'd guess the ideal cocktail of sleeping meds, anti-anxiety meds and stimulants add between 20-50 ELO

Thanks for this post, especially with your poker experience, you make some interesting points.

In passing, note that only a subset of drug testing catches drugs still in the system. Another subset catches evidence of prior use by analyzing current physiology (example: hormonal stuff).