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16/12/2010 - General information

25 years of the IMIM Anti-Doping Control Laboratory

One of the 35 anti-doping laboratories in the world accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)

In November, the IMIM Anti-Doping Control Laboratory (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), directed by Dr. Jordi Segura, celebrated 25 years of history. Ever since it was first accredited by the International Olympic Committee in 1985, its objective has always been to offer high quality, reliable services. It is currently made up of a team of around 30 people from various disciplines and origins, all of whom have extensive experience in the doping field.

The laboratory is one of the 35 anti-doping laboratories in the world accredited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to perform anti-doping tests on athletes (in and out of competition) in both national and international sporting events. In addition, it is one of the most prestigious and internationally renowned laboratories, both for the quality of its test results and its research work. The laboratory is accredited in compliance with the ISO 17025 international standard, and by the Association of Official Racing Chemists (AORC ) to perform anti-doping tests on animals.

Over the course of its 25 years of history, the laboratory has performed the anti-doping tests for major sporting events such as the 1992 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Barcelona; the 1991 Pan American Games in Havana (Cuba); the 1995 Pan American Games in Mar del Plata (Argentina); the 1998 Pan Asian Games in Bangkok (Thailand); the 2003 World Swimming Championships in Barcelona; the 2007 Arab Games in Cairo (Egypt); and the 2010 European Athletics Championships in Barcelona. It also collaborated in the Olympic Games in Athens in 2004, Turin in 2006, Beijing 2008 and the 2008 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

In addition, it is worth noting the participation of its professionals in providing training, advice and supervision to new anti-doping laboratories in various countries (Cuba, Thailand, Turkey, Brazil, Mexico and Qatar) applying for accreditation, as well as the important positions occupied by some of its members in national and international anti-doping organisations. For example, Dr. Jordi Segura, member of the Medical Commission of the IOC (Games Group), member of the Doping Control Review Board of the FINA International Amateur Swimming Federation and Member of the Comisión de Control y Seguimiento de la Salud y el Dopaje (Spain), Committee for the Control and Monitoring of Health and Doping); Dr. Toni Pascual, president of the Anti-Doping Committee of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), member of the Health, Medical and Research Committee of the WADA, president of the Laboratory Committee of the WADA; and Dr. Rosa Ventura, secretary of the European Section of the AORC.

The laboratory’s wholehearted backing of innovation has led to its major contributions to the detection of new substances and the validation of new anti-doping testing methods. In relation to this, it is worth noting that Rosa Ventura, Ricardo Gutiérrez and Óscar Pozo have received the Manfred Donike Memorial Award, an international award given annually for scientific excellence in doping control, three times in its fifteen years of existence. The research lines currently being worked on focus on the detection of abuse of the growth hormone, erythropoietin, blood transfusions, anabolic steroids and corticosteroids, among others. In addition, the laboratory has made important contributions to information technologies, particularly to the development of Laboratory Information Management Systems (LIMS).

The Anti-Doping Control Laboratory forms part of the Research Team on Bioanalysis and Analytical Services of the Neuropsychopharmacology Research Programme at the IMIM (Hospital del Mar Research Institute), which is coordinated by Dr. Rafael de la Torre, long-time collaborator of the Anti-Doping Control Laboratory.

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