It takes a long time and lots of hard work to build a career. And even longer to build trust for yourself as an elite sportsperson. But despite all this, it seems the International Testing Agency (ITA) is still not satisfied with its athletes. As part of its new regime, the body has launched the new International Blood Collection Officer Training Program. Things are going to get much more tense. And it won’t be surprising if ITA shows up at the athlete’s doorsteps at midnight for a doping check.

For those who might think this isn’t that big of an issue, multiple athletes have already come to pose their criticism of this new process. And among them is Olympic gold medalist Sha’Carri Richardson. Richardson even posted on Instagram to reveal the troubles she went through. The post, which was uploaded on Tuesday, states, “Drug test 3 of just this month.”

This is a bit too much from the federation and the athletic community won’t take it sitting down. But before that we need to see what all the noise is about.

Sha’Carri Richardson & the testing debate

On 17 February, the ITA shared news about the launch of IBCO. The Director General of the International Testing Agency, Benjamin Cohen, said: “We are thrilled to launch the ITA IBCO Training Program.” He further added, “The objective of this training program is to offer all athletes, irrespective of their sport or country, harmonized processes, and professional clean sports operations that prioritize safety and integrity.”

For Paris Olympics 100m silver medalist Sha’Carri Richardson, who has been under the spotlight ever since her suspension before the Tokyo Olympics, has since complied with every drug test. Despite this, the frequency of her testing is raising concerns among fans and fellow athletes. With the ITA’s latest initiative, the number of blood tests in track and field could increase even further, making life even more challenging for athletes already dealing with strict anti-doping regulations.

Unlike traditional urine tests, blood testing can detect a wider range of banned substances and track an athlete’s biological markers over time. While this strengthens the fight against doping, it also raises concerns about increased invasions of privacy and disruptions to athletes’ personal lives.

Athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson and Noah Lyles have often voiced their frustrations about the relentless nature of drug testing. Usain Bolt too chimed in on this debacle on his podcast The Fix. The 8-time gold medalist revealed that “I was the most tested athlete ever.” He also mentioned that he was tested three times in a single day! But this number might go even up once the new process is made official in April 2025.

How will this impact track and field stars?

One major impact of this program is the enhanced efficiency of blood sample collection. In May 2024, the Paris Olympics champion Noah Lyles shared an Instagram story: “Just when you think the job is done, doping control comes take away the fun. It’s 1 a.m., I haven’t eaten, definitely haven’t slept, definitely haven’t shower. All I want is to go home.” 

He mentioned while addressing the challenges he faced with doping control. The ITA aims to create a highly skilled workforce of blood collection officers who can perform these tests seamlessly, ensuring athletes experience less discomfort. However, this also means that no one can escape testing under the pretext of an improper collection procedure.

Another consequence is the extended scope of testing. The new program covers additional roles for blood collection officers, such as chaperoning athletes and overseeing blood transport logistics. This ensures that samples remain untampered from collection to analysis. However, it also signals stricter monitoring, meaning that athletes will need to be even more meticulous about their whereabouts and compliance with doping control regulations.

The Paris Olympics gold medalist in the long jump, Tara Davis-Woodhall, two weeks ago shared on her YouTube channel ‘Tara and Hunter’ about this. She said, “As professional athletes, we have to be in a drug testing pool to make sure we’re not doping, which we’re not. And, um, we have to put in a calendar where we will be every day, every hour, including a 1-hour window where you will be home, where they can come and test you.“

The ITA’s IBCO Training Program is set to reshape the landscape of anti-doping measures in sports. But is it truly for the better? While ensuring fair play is vital, the question remains: where do we draw the line between maintaining integrity in sports and respecting an athlete’s personal space? With increasing scrutiny and stricter regulations, will athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson find it easier to comply, or will they feel even more burdened by the ever-expanding anti-doping controls? Let us know what you think!