By David Owen
July 27 – The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has released comprehensive statistics on anti-doping tests analysed by WADA-accredited laboratories in 2014.
The 31,242 football samples analysed, equivalent to more than 85 a day, was the highest total for any Olympic sport, ahead of athletics with just under 26,000. These generated a total of 144 adverse analytical findings (AAFs) – a proportion of 0.46%, or approximately one AAF per 215 samples.
The highest number of football-related AAFs – 66 – was for anabolic agents, followed by stimulants (42) and glucocortico-steroids (24). Only two AAFs were attributable to cannabinoids.
Overall, the proportion of AAFs and atypical findings (ATFs) among the 186,723 Olympic sports samples analysed stood at 0.99%, putting football well below the average. Once non-Olympic sports and other data was taken into account, the overall rate of AAFs/ATFs rose to 1.36%.
Compared to 2013 figures, the number of AAFs in Olympic sports was down by nearly 16% at 1,440.
The report also indicated that 909 Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) samples were analysed in football in 2014 – a level that ranked it eighth among Olympic sports behind cycling, athletics, skiing, skating, triathlon, rowing and aquatics.
The full report can be downloaded here: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/resources/laboratories/anti-doping-testing-figures
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1731707741labto1731707741ofdlr1731707741owedi1731707741sni@n1731707741ewo.d1731707741ivad1731707741