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PR 48 – FINA Statement - Out of Competition Testing Programme

Since the start of 2016, FINA has conducted 1,427 unannounced out-of-competition anti-doping tests on 678 athletes.

A test mission on an athlete may consist of various examinations and analyses: urine sample, blood sample for athlete passport, blood sample for other blood analysis (e.g Blood Transfusion CERA, HBOCs, Growth Hormone, etc).

More than 45% of the 1,427 unannounced out-of-competition anti-doping tests were blood & urine missions.

Summary per major country*      

 Summary per sport
BRA: 91 Diving: 74
CHN: 201 Open Water: 96
RUS: 226 Synchro: 72
USA: 92 Swimming: 1'022
  Water Polo: 163


In partnership with national anti-doping agencies, FINA continues to test the 10 best-performing athletes in each event in swimming and this programme will continue until the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

After the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, this robust anti-doping programme will continue in the run-up to the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) to take place in Windsor (CAN) in December 2016

Since the beginning of 2016, FINA has already invested around USD one million in its unannounced out-of-competition testing programme. As world governing body for Aquatics, FINA undertakes a strong and robust policy in order to optimise the efficacy of our anti-doping strategies; to preserve the validity and integrity of FINA competitions; and to protect the clean athletes in the five continents.

*more information here