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FEATURE ARTICLE
Encouraging physios to “Speak Out” about doping in sport. Hayden Tapper, Investigations & Intelligence Manager, DFSNZ Introduction
Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) is the organisation responsible for keeping sport clean in New Zealand, and free from doping. We work across New Zealand’s sporting community to protect clean athletes and promote clean sport. The February 2019 edition of the SEPNZ Bulletin featured an article about the physio’s role regarding athlete use of supplements and medications – to help avoid inadvertent doping. This article touches on the more sensitive area of athletes who might divulge information about doping to their physiotherapist.
There is no doubt that sport at all levels benefits from the dedication of time and expertise provided by physios and other medical professionals throughout the country. Enhanced treatment techniques and technology have improved the outcomes for many injured athletes and resulted in many victories on the sports field.
The Aotearoa New Zealand Physiotherapy Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct (CEPC) has guidelines about patient confidentiality and the circumstances when confidentiality can be foregone. But there is an equally important part of the Code which deals with the health and wellbeing of a patient being a physio’s first priority.
Physios can and will spend many hours with their athletes on the treatment table preventing or rehabilitating injuries. So much so that their role will often extend beyond the treatment table.
The Sports Physiotherapy Code of Conduct also interprets and explains the principles contained with the CEPC as they relate to the sporting environment and includes a specific section on prohibited performance enhancing substances.
The many hours of contact time will often result in the physio becoming a confidant of sorts, where athletes talk about and divulge many details of their life. At the high-performance level, where physios travel overseas for periods for sport, they become an integral member of the team and are often the most informed about what’s really going on in the team. The information divulged from an athlete to a physio can range from simple chit-chat about an injury treatment or what they got up to in the weekend, through to more serious and sensitive information about their personal lives or those of their teammates.
What can you do if one of your patients discloses information relating to doping or you suspect an athlete is doping?
Prohibited substances or performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) are banned in sport because they give athletes an unfair advantage, but just as importantly, they are banned because they are harmful to the athlete’s health. In fact the revised 2021 World AntiDoping Code lists ‘health’ one of the primary reasons for having the Code. If you suspect an athlete is doping or may be considering doping, your first option as a medical professional may be to discuss with the athlete the reasons that might be behind their behaviour and the health risks. We would also encourage you to report the matter to DFSNZ – in the interests of both the athlete’s health and clean sport.
You can report suspicions of doping without identifying the athlete (ensuring no breaches of the CEPC) and anonymously if you wish.
You would not be the first medical professional to find yourself in this difficult situation – which may involve a patient you are treating or an associate of theirs. CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE >>
