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Prevalence estimate of blood doping in elite track and field at the introduction of the Athlete Biological Passport

View ORCID ProfileRaphael Faiss, Jonas Saugy, Alix Zollinger, Neil Robinson, Frédéric Schütz, Martial Saugy, Pierre-Yves Garnier
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/736801
Raphael Faiss
1REDs, Research and Expertise in antiDoping sciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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  • ORCID record for Raphael Faiss
  • For correspondence: raphael.faiss@unil.ch
Jonas Saugy
1REDs, Research and Expertise in antiDoping sciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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Alix Zollinger
2Bioinformatics Core Facility; SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
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Neil Robinson
3Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses (LAD), University Centre of Legal Medicine, Lausanne and Geneva, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois and University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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Frédéric Schütz
2Bioinformatics Core Facility; SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, Lausanne, Switzerland
4Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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Martial Saugy
1REDs, Research and Expertise in antiDoping sciences, University of Lausanne, Switzerland
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Pierre-Yves Garnier
5Athletics Integrity Unit, Antidoping and Medical Department, Monaco, Monaco
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Abstract

In elite sport, the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) was invented to tackle cheaters by monitoring closely changes in biological parameters, flagging atypical variations. The haematological module of the ABP was indeed adopted in 2011 by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). This study estimates the prevalence of blood doping based on haematological parameters in a large cohort of track & field athletes measured at two international major events (2011 & 2013 IAAF World Championships) with a hypothesized decrease in prevalence due to the ABP introduction.

A total of 3683 blood samples were collected and analysed from all participating athletes originating from 209 countries. The estimate of doping prevalence was obtained by using a Bayesian network with seven variables, as well as “doping” as a variable mimicking doping with low-doses of recombinant human erythropoietin (rhEPO), to generate reference cumulative distribution functions (CDFs) for the Abnormal Blood Profile Score (ABPS) from the ABP.

Our results from robust haematological parameters indicate an estimation of an overall blood doping prevalence of 18% in average in endurance athletes (95% Confidence Interval (C.I.) 14-22%). A higher prevalence was observed in female athletes (22%, C.I. 16-28%) than in male athletes (15%, C.I. 9-20%). In conclusion, this study presents the first comparison of blood doping prevalence in elite athletes based on biological measurements from major international events that may help scientists and experts to use the ABP in a more efficient and deterrent way.

What are the new findings ?

  • This study presents the first comparison of blood doping prevalence in elite track & field athletes based on biological measurements from major international events

  • Our results from robust haematological parameters indicate an estimation of an overall blood doping prevalence of 18% in average in endurance athletes.

  • The confidence intervals for blood doping prevalence range from 9-28% with wide discrepancies between certain countries.

How might it impact on clinical practice in the near future

  • The further development of the Athlete Biological Passport with a careful monitoring of biological parameters still represents the most consistent approach to thwart athletes using undetectable prohibited substances or methods.

  • This study describes a method to define blood doping prevalence with the analysis of robust haematological parameters

  • Estimates of doping prevalence in subpopulations of athletes may represent a valuable tool for the antidoping authorities to perform a risk assessment in their sport.

Copyright 
The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. All rights reserved. No reuse allowed without permission.
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Posted August 19, 2019.
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Prevalence estimate of blood doping in elite track and field at the introduction of the Athlete Biological Passport
Raphael Faiss, Jonas Saugy, Alix Zollinger, Neil Robinson, Frédéric Schütz, Martial Saugy, Pierre-Yves Garnier
bioRxiv 736801; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/736801
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Prevalence estimate of blood doping in elite track and field at the introduction of the Athlete Biological Passport
Raphael Faiss, Jonas Saugy, Alix Zollinger, Neil Robinson, Frédéric Schütz, Martial Saugy, Pierre-Yves Garnier
bioRxiv 736801; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/736801

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