Sports supplements can be a vital part of your training and nutrition regime, but every year elite athletes have their sporting careers damaged or even ruined with sporting bans as a result of positive doping.
WADA, ASADA and doping - What does it mean to me?
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), doping is defined as more than just the presence of a prohibited substance if tested, but it extends to tampering, trafficking and refusing to submit a sample. The full list of prohibited substances and detailed descriptions of the ‘doping’ definition is outlined in the World Anti-Doping Code.
Each nation has an anti-doping organisation that is responsible for implementing an effective program that is consistent with international requirements as well as legislation for that particular country.
In Australia, the national anti-doping organisation is called the Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority (ASADA). ASADA warns that athletes competing in any sport governed by a World Anti-Doping Code compliant policy need to be aware that they can’t just take any drug or medication, or even use certain training methods.
The key message as to why you should familiarise yourself with anti-doping guidelines is because ultimately YOU are the person responsible for a positive test, whether or not you were intentionally involved in an anti-doping rule violation or not.
Sport is competitive and sometimes elite athletes are willing to take a big risk for an unfair advantage by dabbling in an illegal practise. For other honest and hard-working athletes, a positive test could be the result of consuming a supplement from a company with poor controls for sourcing raw ingredients or contamination during manufacturing. Hence, the importance for third party batch testing and certification.
What is third party batch testing?
When powdered sports supplements are created, they are blended in large batches before being split into packaging for sale.
A registered organisation that is independent to the supplement manufacturer is considered to be a ‘third party’. This organisation will take multiple samples from each batch to be analysed for WADA-prohibited substances and provide certification if the batch passes the comprehensive testing procedure.
ASADA recommends that athletes of any competitive level should only use supplements which have been screened for prohibited substances by an independent company, such as HASTA.
What does it mean to have HASTA certification?
Human and Supplement Testing Australia, or ‘HASTA’, is an independent organisation that tests commercial products for WADA banned substances through its official certification scheme. The comprehensive testing confirms every batch is free from over 200 banned drugs and prohibited substances, and verifies the correct quality controls are in place during manufacturing to ensure complete compliance with the stringent drug testing rules of national and international sporting games and competitions.
Here at True Protein, our bestselling range of elite sports supplements and proteins have been comprehensively tested to gain the HASTA Certification seal of approval.
Why should I choose True’s HASTA Certified Products?
If you are an athlete competing at a national and/or international level then you may be required to have your urine or blood tested for prohibited substances. This process is called ‘Doping Control’, and it may happen at anytime and anywhere by your international federation, national anti-doping federation or the major event organisation committee.
Certain medications or supplements may be recommended by friends, family, top athletes, coaches or medical professionals. Ultimately, it is you that is responsible for what you are consuming, and by doing so, you have accepted the risk that a WADA-prohibited substance could be detected in your blood or urine.
Safeguard yourself by investing in True’s HASTA-certified products that are free from prohibited substances as required by professional and competitive athletes, or for peace of mind for the everyday fitness enthusiast.
Key messages
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Every year elite athletes have their sporting careers damaged or potentially ruined with sporting bans as a result of positive doping.
-
Doping is more than just the presence of a prohibited substance if tested, it extends to tampering, trafficking and refusing to submit a sample.
-
Athletes competing in any sport governed by a World Anti-Doping Code compliant policy need to be aware that they can’t just take any drug or medication.
-
ASADA recommends that athletes of any competitive level should only use supplements that have been screened for prohibited substances by an independent company, such as HASTA.
-
HASTA is an independent organisation that tests commercial products for over 200 WADA-banned substances through its official certification scheme.
-
HASTA verifies the correct quality controls are in place during manufacturing to ensure complete compliance with the stringent drug testing rules of national and international sporting events and competitions.
-
Here at True Protein, our bestselling range of elite sports supplements and proteins have been comprehensively tested to gain the HASTA Certification seal of approval.
-
Safeguard yourself by investing in our HASTA-certified products that are free from all prohibited substances as required by professional and competitive athletes, or for peace of mind for the everyday fitness enthusiast.
