Practical experience with the implementation of an athlete's biological profile in athletics, cycling, football and swimming

Abstract

The introduction of the athlete's biological passport (ABP) has been a milestone in the fight against doping. The ABP is a collection of measurements of different biological parameters influenced by the administration of doping agents through the time and for each athlete. Two different modules have been developed and validated so far: the haematological module, which aims to identify enhancement of oxygen transport, including use of erythropoiesis-stimulating agents and any form of blood transfusion or manipulation, which became effective in 2010; and the steroidal module, which intends to detect the use of endogenous anabolic androgenic steroids when administered exogenously and other anabolic agents, which was introduced in 2014. Prior to the implementation of the haematological module, it is important to define an athlete's testing pool on whom to collect blood and/or urine in-competition and out-of-competition (for the steroidal module, this is irrelevant because all collected urine samples will be subjected to analysis for the steroidal variables) and to be compliant with the strict requirements of the World Anti-Doping Agency ABP Operating Guidelines. The established individual profile can be used either to target traditional antidoping tests (recombinant erythropoietins, or homologous blood transfusion tests for the haematological module; isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) for the steroidal module) or to support an antidoping rule violation due to the use of a forbidden substance or method. In this article, we present the experience of four major International Federations which have implemented an ABP programme, focusing on the haematological module. They constitute examples which could be followed by other antidoping organisations wishing to introduce this new, efficient and innovative antidoping tool.

Altitude training causes haematological fluctuations with relevance for the Athlete Biological Passport

“…In order to detect illegal manipulation of blood and blood components, a mathematical model for detection of abnormal blood parameters, i.e., indirect evidence for blood manipulations, was introduced at the 2000 Olympic Games by Australian researchers and has since then been further refined by a group from the Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses with inclusion of more parameters and factors accounting for heterogeneity . Based on this initial work, the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) was implemented in 2009 by WADA and the UCI and has proved its worth as the UCI has sanctioned more than 30 athletes based on abnormal blood profiles . An in‐depth review of the ABP is given elsewhere .…”

“…[8,9] Based on this initial work, the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) was implemented in 2009 by WADA and the UCI and has proved its worth as the UCI has sanctioned more than 30 athletes based on abnormal blood profiles. [10] An in-depth review of the ABP is given elsewhere. [11][12][13][14] The ABP approach is based on the assumption that dopinginduced fluctuations in selected haematological markers can be determined at the individual level by continuous monitoring of these.…”

Performance profiling as an intelligence‐led approach to antidoping in sports

“…The development and implementation of the athlete biological passport into the antidoping practice has acted as a useful deterrent. 17 However, as outlined above, the proportion of adverse analytic findings from antidoping tests is well below the estimated prevalence of doping with sport. Antidoping authorities such as WADA and the AIU have therefore both suggested that there is a need for a more intelligence-led approach to antidoping in order to more effectively target test athletes.…”

“…The development and implementation of the athlete biological passport into the antidoping practice has acted as a useful deterrent . However, as outlined above, the proportion of adverse analytic findings from antidoping tests is well below the estimated prevalence of doping with sport.…”

Annual banned‐substance review: analytical approaches in human sports drug testing

“…It can provide information for subsequent target testing (e.g. regarding recombinant EPO or homologous blood transfusion) and independently indicate anti‐doping rule violations . However, longitudinal monitoring of blood parameters, modeling, and interpretation of measurement results necessitates a robust approach in which potentially confounding factors are accounted for.…”