FIFPro Opinion: Doping

FIFPro is of course opposed to doping in football. However, in practice it proves that doping cases are rare in football. FIFPro is opposed to the ‘whereabouts’ system which is disproportional in relation to its aims.

Research has shown that there are hardly any doping cases in football; around 0.05% of the players tested are found to be guilty. Most of the players who have been caught in recent years appeared to have used social drugs. It is known that these drugs are not performance-enhancing. What is more, they generally have a negative influence on performance. If these social drugs are removed from the doping list, it then appears that football has only a marginal problem.

Footballers are obliged to comply with the section of the WADA code that stipulates that players who are selected by their national association for testing must account for their whereabouts 365 days a year and be available one hour per day for doping tests. Since doping cases in football are extremely rare, FIFPro deems the whereabouts system completely unnecessary.

Another objection FIFPro has is that each country applies the whereabouts rule differently. Each country uses different criteria for selecting players for the testing pool. FIFPro advocates equal rights and duties for all players throughout the world.

FIFPro requires that footballers are only tested at their clubs following matches or at training and  not during their free time or holidays. They are at their clubs almost daily for training or matches, making it unnecessary for them to account for their whereabouts.

FIFPro is of the opinion that the WADA code is in conflict with several treaties and laws that protect the privacy of citizens. FIFPro supports  a legal procedure in Belgium in order to test the applicability of the whereabouts rule. 

FIFPro aspires to a doping-free sport but calls on WADA to enter into discussions with the players’ unions in order to formulate an effective and fair doping policy.

If cases of doping are uncovered, then each player must be judged individually. The personal circumstances of the player must be taken into account and sanctions must not be disproportional. This is currently not the case because the current sanctions are indeed disproportional given an athlete’s relatively short carreer. Finally, footballers must have the opportunity of training at their club during any period of suspension.