FIFA Doping Control Officers (DCO) set to be on duty at global showpiece came together in Miami
Global anti-doping team to oversee extensive in- and out-of-competition testing across all Host Cities
DCOs to lead multinational teams of sample collection personnel and chaperones throughout tournament
The preparations for FIFA’s anti-doping operations at this year’s FIFA World Cup™ have been finalised following the staging of an onboarding and refresher session held for the tournament’s 16 FIFA Doping Control Officers (DCOs) at FIFA’s Miami offices yesterday.
The one-day event brought together all FIFA DCOs appointed to lead anti-doping missions at the competition ahead of their deployment to the 16 Host Cities across Canada, Mexico and the United States. The session served to finalise preparations and for operational briefings to be issued before the start of the extensive anti-doping testing activities to be rolled out across the tournament.
Each FIFA DCO has been assigned to a Host City, where they will oversee anti-doping testing operations during the competition. Their responsibilities will include the management of both in- and out-of-competition testing programmes, ensuring the consistent implementation of FIFA’s anti-doping procedures across all venues.
The session covered a range of operational and procedural topics, including transport and logistics planning, IT onboarding, accreditation processes, volunteer communications, testing operations, sample shipment procedures and tournament testing plans.
Participants received a refresher on the use of FIFA’s testing kits, supplied by FIFA’s testing kit partner LockCon, and reviewed the latest edition of the FIFA DCO Manual to help ensure a consistent and high-quality approach to testing activities throughout the competition.
The FIFA World Cup anti-doping programme is supported by a diverse international workforce. Under the leadership of the FIFA DCOs, teams of sample collection personnel and chaperones from across the globe, including representatives from the National Anti-Doping Organizations of Canada, Mexico and United States, will support testing operations.
The onboarding session marks the final stage of the preparations before FIFA’s DCOs are deployed across the Host Cities reinforcing FIFA’s ongoing commitment to protecting clean sport and ensuring that all anti-doping activities at the FIFA World Cup are aligned with the World Anti-Doping Code, the International Standards, and the FIFA Anti-Doping Regulations.