KUALA LUMPUR – The Anti-Doping Agency of Malaysia (Adamas) hopes that the upcoming Sarawak Malaysia Games (Sukma), which will take place from August 17 to 24, will be free of any doping cases.
Speaking to Scoop, Adamas director Azura Abidin explained that they are particularly focusing on several sports listed under their monitoring due to past incidents.
One such sport is weightlifting, as during the 2022 edition, three cases were detected before the competition began involving prohibited substances such as metandienone, tebutaline, and oxymetholone.
More disappointingly, two additional cases were identified after the competition concluded, involving medal winners found to have used anabolic androgenic steroids.
To prevent such incidents from recurring, the Malaysian Weightlifting Association (PABM) has collaborated with Adamas to collect a significant number of urine samples from state weightlifting athletes competing in Sukma Sarawak.
All these samples have been sent to a anti-doping lab in Qatar for analysis.
“I am very hopeful for this Sukma edition, especially with Sarawak’s commitment as the host to ensure a clean event, free from any doping cases.
“For weightlifting, we have been asked to conduct pre-screening. If weightlifters can prove they are clean during this Sukma, with no cases during pre-screening, including tests before, during, and after the competition, then for future editions, they will no longer need to undergo pre-screening as we are currently implementing,” said Azura.
Adamas not only conducts seminars and workshops for athletes and coaches at the state level but also mandates that all athletes competing in Sukma Sarawak undergo an online course by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada). This initiative ensures they have comprehensive knowledge about the misuse of prohibited substances.
“This matter has been discussed with the director general of the National Sports Council (NSC), and it has been agreed upon by the Technical Special Committee that all athletes must undergo online education.
“The certificates obtained from these courses must be submitted to Adamas to prove their completion. So far, all states have cooperated.
“One of the reasons young athletes are eager to achieve success through such means is likely due to pressure from coaches, chasing lucrative rewards and incentives.
“Therefore, at our level, we are reinstating civic values within them because sports should serve as a platform for responsibility, respect, and honesty, all of which are taught in schools.
“Using prohibited substances to achieve success through shortcuts not only tarnishes their name and career but also exposes them to the side effects of these medications, such as kidney damage,” she added.
Sukma Sarawak 2024 is set to make history by hosting 488 events, the highest number ever, involving 15 contingents, including Brunei Darussalam. – July 23, 2024