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Dubai: Osama Al Shafar has declared that regular doping tests will be made mandatory for bodybuilders in the UAE.
"We have to lead by example," Al Shafar told Gulf News after receiving the UAE national team following their five-medal haul at the Asian Body Building Championships in Hong Kong last week.
He stressed that all bodybuilders, whether junior or senior, will undergo dope tests at regular intervals.
"Most of the time the athletes are by themselves and we really do not have a control over their diet and their habits," said Al Shafar.
Prior to competitions
"So we make sure they all undergo dope tests at least three months before they leave for a competition. And then we have an additional test a week before they go to the competition."
"Things are getting strict all over the world and cases of doping are rampant in so many sports these days. We have a responsibility to fulfil and we do not want to be embarrassed," he pointed out.
The UAE athletes' samples are normally sent to the WADA-accredited laboratory in Kuala Lumpur for testing and the results are received within 48 hours.
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