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The Norwegian football team has called for strengthened doping control rules after a remarkable situation in which a footballer from their women’s team ingested a prohibited stimulant originating from artificial turf infill in an artificial pitch.

Precedent-Setting Ruling Highlights External Dangers

A lengthy investigation ended this week when Wada decided against appealing the ruling of Norwegian anti-doping officials that the player was faultless. However this landmark case has highlighted the potential dangers to athletes of external contact to prohibited compounds and raised the likelihood of more issues arising around the numerous synthetic playing fields throughout Europe.

The Incident and Unexpected Finding

The spectre of a banned substance was far from expected when the team played against the rival team at the venue in Lillestrøm, near Oslo, this spring. Yet a standard substance check found four players from both teams had provided tests containing the banned compound 1,3-dimethylbutylamine (DMBA). A single test, submitted by the individual, was above the detection level of 50 ng/ml.

Inquiry and Discovery

This led to an inquiry that puzzled representatives from each side and Adno, which found no shared factors in meals, liquids or nutritional aids used by the athletes concerned. The affected player, who has chosen to remain anonymous, expressed the anxiety resulting from finding out she was charged with a doping offence. “It was a horrible time,” she said. “This was a deeply upsetting event and I was confused about the situation.”

The athlete was able to keep playing while the inquiry proceeded. She thinks the shadow it caused might have impacted her results and was extremely happy when a surroundings probe, which ended during the summer, at last identified the unexpected origin.

Source Identified

It determined, following analysis liquid tests and substances from various locations at the stadium, that the shredded tyre granulate – known popularly as tyre granules – on the pitch had included the stimulant, which had been passed on to the individuals while playing. DMBA is a synthetic material that activates neurological functions and is occasionally found in health aids, though it is prohibited in Norway and Europe. Research showed, by scientific analysis, to be a compound that can occur through breakdown of the synthetic infill and there is a degree of frustration that this was not picked up on in the initial probe.

No Fault Ruled

The player was ruled as having no responsibility in the first known case in elite sport where surrounding factors has been causing a suspected positive test. “I was always sure I did nothing wrong and I appreciate the authorities for tracing the source to the venue,” she said.

“Still, the process and outcome seem a bit random. Unless the investigation could find the source as the origin, my situation would have been significantly harder. If you are extremely careful, adhere to regulations and still find yourself drawn into this type of incident, it shows how vulnerable you are in competition.”

Future Concerns

These pitches are not considered to be harmful to athletes but concerns have been raised before about their role in environmental contamination. Beginning that year, rubber crumb infill will be banned in Europe. After the Vålerenga case, sports authorities suggested that indoor competitive matches be relocated outside. There are roughly 1,800 these synthetic pitches in Norway and they are also widespread in Britain, notably at local clubs. No international standard to guarantee synthetic pitches are free of materials banned in competition.

Urgent Adjustments

Vålerenga are urging the rules to be strengthened to acknowledge that a failed test is not invariably linked to an athlete’s action, intentional or not. Global rules are based on “strict liability”. Regulations are expanded upon in article 2.1 of the global rules, which reads: “There is no requirement that deliberation, blame, irresponsibility or intentional consumption by the player be shown to determine a positive test.”

Harriet Rudd, the Vålerenga CEO, remarked: “Environmental factors must be a top priority in the future. It’s about developing a comprehensive understanding of what in the environment you risk finding a positive result. Doping control must evolve and issues like this need to be an increased priority of the elements which are assessed.”

Ongoing Risks

There exists a worry that, since the danger of DMBA pollution from pitches has been flagged, theoretically any athlete to show a violation for the same reason might not be found innocent. The CEO also wonders if the inquiry would have been as detailed if only one or two players had tested positive including DMBA during the game.

Hope for the Future

The cleared athlete said: “With luck future players in a situation like mine will have stronger legal protection ahead. The rules as they are today can lead to {an innocent athlete|a blameless player|a