World Anti-Doping Agency calls for re-testing of samples for 'designer' steroid

World Anti-Doping Agency calls for re-testing of samples for ‘designer’ steroid{mosimage}Anti-doping chiefs are calling for all international sports federations and all national anti-doping federations to analyze currently stored samples for the newly-discovered designer steroid tetrahydrogestrinone (THG).

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) said on Friday in London that it’s written to all the federations and national anti-doping organizations (NADOs) in a bid to close the net around drug cheats. WADA’s letter asked them to “review their internal protocols and processes to determine whether stored samples can be analysed for this substance.”

WADA also offered to assist the organizations in any way possible with this matter. “A proactive approach in this matter is crucial,” WADA’s director general David Howman said in the letter. “It not only sends a message to athletes that cheating will not be tolerated, but also reassures the general public that definite steps are being taken to stamp out the scourge of doping in sport.”

Some international federations and NADOs, including the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) — the governing body for track and field — have already announced they will undertake testing of stored samples.

The IAAF will re-test all samples from August’s world championships. European sprint champion Dwain Chambers earlier this week admitted testing positive for the banned anabolic steroid but has denied taking the substance “willfully.”

One of Britain’s best hopes for a gold medal at next year’s Olympic Games, Chambers failed a test for the newly discovered drug THG which, until last week, was thought to be undetectable, his lawyer confirmed. Traces of the drug were found in a urine sample that the European 100-meters champion and record holder provided during an out-of-competition test in Germany in August.

Chambers, fourth in the recent world championships in Paris, returned a positive ‘A’ sample. A second, or ‘B’ sample is yet to be tested.

Four U.S. athletes have also tested positive for the drug, the USA Track and Field said on Wednesday. A test for the drug was discovered by the IOC-accredited laboratory in Los Angeles after an unidentified man sent them a syringe containing THG.

This week, all 30 IOC-accredited laboratories were sent details of how to test for the steroid.