Role of Doping Control Officers

 

              ROLE OF DOPING CONTROL OFFICERS

A DCO plays a vital role during the doping control and sample collection. It is of high importance the systematic recruitment and training of the DCOs in order to secure a good and consistent quality in operations. 

The doping control procedure is clearly defined for all anti-doping organizations in the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) International Standard for Testing and Investigations (ISTI). Standardized procedures, professionally trained doping control officers (DCOs), and clearly formulated rights and obligations ensure that doping controls satisfy high quality standards. In Switzerland, testing is governed by the “Regulatory Statutes for Testing and Investigations”.

Requirements

The basic requirement is a minimum age of 21 years. The DCO should also speak and write English. Knowledge of an additional language is an advantage, as is experience in Anti-Doping testing.

A DCO should be: a problem solver, able to cope with stress, trustworthy, precise, a person with leadership skills, i.e. polite and friendly, yet assertive.

DCOs must have a flexible schedule since assignments can vary greatly from time to time.

If you are interested in becoming a DCO, please click the advertisement to find out more and apply. Only successful applicants will be contacted.

.This role requires a great deal of sensitivity, tact and professionalism. It involves ensuring the integrity of the sample taken under supervision, dividing the sample into two bottles, and maintaining a robust chain of custody to transfer it to an International WADA accredited laboratory for analysis, in the UK this is Kings College.

This is not a full-time role and the DCOs generally undertake these duties in their spare time, in addition to their day jobs (although many are retired). Part of the enjoyment for me comes from working as part of a team with people from a wide range of different professional backgrounds. There is no specific qualification to becoming a doping control officer and those that I work with include nurses, police officers, teachers and fire fighters, many of whom are now retired but whose skills fit the role well. One of our more recent recruits is a retired Professor that I remember from my junior rotations!

The ability to carry out administrative tasks with a high degree of accuracy,

* A proven ability to work with confidential work

* Sound judgement and decision making ability

* To use own initiative within a procedural framework

* Conflict management skills in a stressful environment

* Organizational skills of people and activities

DCOs have to deal with athletes and support staff who may be elated, exhausted or devastated depending on the outcome of their events.

Responsibility

DCOs are responsible for the collection of a urine/blood sample, recording the sample collection, and shipping the samples to a WADA accredited or approved laboratory.

Written by:

Priyanshu Teotia