Annual banned‐substance review: Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2020/2021

Abstract

Most core areas of anti‐doping research exploit and rely on analytical chemistry, applied to studies aiming at further improving the test methods' analytical sensitivity, the assays' comprehensiveness, the interpretation of metabolic profiles and patterns, but also at facilitating the differentiation of natural/endogenous substances from structurally identical but synthetically derived compounds and comprehending the athlete's exposome. Further, a continuously growing number of advantages of complementary matrices such as dried blood spots have been identified and transferred from research to sports drug testing routine applications, with an overall gain of valuable additions to the anti‐doping field. In this edition of the annual banned‐substance review, literature on recent developments in anti‐doping published between October 2020 and September 2021 is summarized and discussed, particularly focusing on human doping controls and potential applications of new testing strategies to substances and methods of doping specified in the World Anti‐Doping Agency's 2021 Prohibited List.

Perspectives in Sports Genomics

“…This abuse is classified as gene doping, which is banned in sports according to the Prohibited List of the WADA. Interestingly, while being a means of illicit gene editing, CRISPR/Cas has also been used as a tool to detect gene transfer-based doping attempts [ 77 , 78 ].…”

“…In 2021, WADA released guidelines concerning gene doping detection methods (e.g., using polymerase chain reaction) [ 79 ] and several studies elaborating on currently available models (e.g., mouse model) and analytical approaches for detecting transgenes for sports drug testing purposes [ 80 , 81 ]. The rapidly evolving options in gene editing will necessitate different analytical approaches to contain the impending issue of gene doping [ 78 ].…”

Annual banned‐substance review—Analytical approaches in human sports drug testing 2021/2022–

“…True to Jean-Jacques Rousseau's position "we have to learn a lot in order to be able to enquire about the things we do not know," anti-doping research has remained a mainstay in advancing sports drug testing programs. 1 The developments include investigations in sport law, psychology and sociology, life sciences and medicine, and analytical chemistry, especially in consideration of continuously changing and refining external conditions that have created a "new normal" for the athlete as well as anti-doping organizations. 2 To an increasing extent, the anti-doping programs are balancing between the opposing trends of constantly improving analytical sensitivities and the overall exposure of humans to chemicals and drug (as well as drug metabolite) residues.…”

“…The definition of the “anti‐doping scope” has been subject to substantial modifications over the past decades, and numerous debates have been initiated, pursued, and/or completed in various departments within or associated with the anti‐doping arena. True to Jean‐Jacques Rousseau's position “we have to learn a lot in order to be able to enquire about the things we do not know,” anti‐doping research has remained a mainstay in advancing sports drug testing programs 1 . The developments include investigations in sport law, psychology and sociology, life sciences and medicine, and analytical chemistry, especially in consideration of continuously changing and refining external conditions that have created a “new normal” for the athlete as well as anti‐doping organizations 2 .…”

Rapid Detection of Amitriptyline in Dried Blood and Dried Saliva Samples with Surface-Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy

“…The collection of whole blood samples on paper is known as dried blood spot (DBS), which dates back to the 1960s [ 20 ] and is still in common use [ 21 , 22 , 23 ]. DBS offers several advantages over conventional whole blood, plasma, or serum sample collection such as requiring a less invasive sampling method (small needle prick, compared to venous cannula), easier and simpler storage and transfer (no need for freezing samples), and potential to be collected by patients themselves (minimal training); furthermore, it reduces the infection risk caused by various pathogens, and only requires a very small blood volume compared to conventional blood sample collection [ 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ].…”