The focus of athletes should be on perfecting skills and technique. Where added muscle strength and bulk will assist in achieving sports excellence, the athlete should consult with qualified professionals such as Sports Nutritionists, Dieticians and Strength and Conditioning Specialists, who can best advise the athlete on appropriate nutrition and strength regimes. The SA Institute for Drug-Free Sport (SAIDS) does not provide advice on sports supplements. For more information, please read the SAIDS position statement on supplements on its website www.drugfreesport.org.za

A Registered Dietitian can best advise athletes on the most appropriate diet that can assist in achieving sporting excellence. Supplements should NEVER be seen as a replacement for nutrition. For more information, please read the SAIDS position statement on supplements on its website www.drugfreesport.org.za Have to be careful about any home remedies that have found their place in the family tradition or cultural lifestyle. Many such concoctions are derived from herbal products and some prohibited substances do originate from plants. Remember, under the strict liability principle, it does not matter how or why a prohibited substance entered an athlete’s body. Athletes are responsible for everything that goes into their body.

Under the overarching principle of strict liability under anti-doping regulations, as an athlete, you are ultimately responsible for everything that goes into your body, whether it was recommended, prescribed, or even provided by someone else. If an athlete tests positive, the result is a disqualification, and possible sanction or suspension.

WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) is looking at possible partnerships with pharmaceutical associations that publish indexes of pharmaceutical products so that physicians prescribing treatment have immediate reference in the index about a medication containing, or not, a substance prohibited under anti-doping regulations. WADA is also investigating the possibility of a global drug reference database that would contain all pharmaceutical products sold throughout the world and their status with regard to the Prohibited List. Such database would enable athletes to have access to reliable information about the ingredients of any pharmaceutical product, no matter in what part of the world they require to purchase it. Visit www.wada-ama.org