The Anti-Doping Commission is concerned that athletes readily consume sport supplements without  knowledge of the real benefits being provided and whether the supplement is free from prohibited  substances. inadvertent doping through a poorly labelled or contaminated sport supplement is not adequate defense in case of an Adverse Analytical Finding. Athletes are therefore being cautioned about the dangers of potential contamination of sport supplements and the effect of the ‘Principle of Strict liability’. Moreover the principle of personal responsibility cannot be relinquished because of the actions of the athlete’s support personnel (coach, trainer, manager, agent, team staff, official, medical, paramedical personnel, parent). The fact that supplements may be provided by an athlete’s club will not absolve the athlete of his/her responsibility for the consequences if the use of such supplements results in an adverse analytical finding. This will also apply if there was no reason to suspect that the supplement contained a banned substance. The ADC does not recommend the use of sport supplements and a healthy, well-balanced diet is more likely to be beneficial and safer to the athlete. 

In view if the strong evidence that a large number of positive doping tests have been attributed to the misuse of supplements, the Anti-Doping Commission would like to advise athletes on the following:

i.  Athletes should avoid purchasing dietary supplements through the internet.

ii. Athletes should exercise extreme caution regarding the use of any dietary supplement.  Athletes must always make sure that the batch no. of the supplement which they will be consuming has been tested and confirmed that it is clean of prohibited substances. No guarantee can be provided that any particular supplement (vitamins, minerals, ergogenic aids and herbal remedies) is completely free from Prohibited Substances.

iii. The use of any nutritional dietary supplement by an athlete is at his/her own risk.

iv. Athletes should be extremely careful of products with claims of enhanced strength, muscle mass, energy or weight loss through consumption of products.

v. Athletes should avoid non-reputable retailers, products or brands.

vi. Athletes should avoid sharing supplements with or obtaining supplements from team mates, friends or athletes from other sports.

vii. The term ‘herbal’ of ‘natural’ does not necessarily mean that the product is safe and free from prohibited substances.

viii. The only way to eliminate entirely the risk of dietary supplements is to not consume supplements.

Despite all the precautions an athlete may take and the advice he/she could attain, it remains his/her sole responsibility of what goes into his/her body. When in doubt, leave it out.

NADOMALTA does not endorse any products and consumption is at the athlete’s own risk.