NORCECA hits historic mark in anti-doping tests

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, February 21, 2015 – NORCECA medical delegates conducted a confederation record high of 213 anti-doping tests during the volleyball and beach volleyball competitions organized last year by the regional governing body with zero positive result cases.

Dr. Victor Figueroa, president of the NORCECA Medical Commission who is also member of FIVB Medical Commission, presented a detailed report of the anti-doping program during their annual meeting in Santo Domingo on Saturday.

“Our medical delegates performed 151 tests in volleyball and 62 in beach volleyball reaching the highest numbers since we began the anti-doping controls,” Figueroa said. “The fact that we didn’t have positive cases speaks loudly about the cleanliness of the sport in our region.”

He also informed about the educational program currently in practice in all the NORCECA events, especially in the age-group tournaments.

 “Thanks to the educational and prevention programs that NORCECA has been applying in the age-group categories, and also with coaches, trainers and medical staffers, we have been able to create awareness about the danger caused by the use of banned substances,” Dr. Figueroa said.

“During our competitions, we have a consistent program of interaction with the players emphasizing on the perils of the use of performance enhancing drugs,” Figueroa said.

He also made a report of the decisions taken during the FIVB Medical Commission earlier this month in Lausanne, Switzerland and they reviewed the updated WADA list of banned substances.

Dr. Juan Carlos Rodas presented an anthropological investigation conducted in his native Guatemala.

The members of the commission also discussed the medical tests for referees and the project of testing a two-hour volleyball match later this year in one unofficial event.