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13 April 2023 | Story André Damons
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Since 2014, in April of every year, the anti-doping community worldwide comes together to celebrate Play True Day – a day that is dedicated to Clean Sport and raising awareness among athletes, the sporting public and others, of the importance of preventing doping.

The South African Doping Control Laboratory (SADoCoL), a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)-accredited service laboratory on the Bloemfontein Campus of the University of the Free State (UFS), will take part in celebrating international Play True Day on 14 April.

SADoCoL is the only fully WADA-accredited laboratory that performs analysis for the anti-doping community in Africa. 

Every April since 2014  the anti-doping community worldwide comes together to celebrate Play True Day – a day that is dedicated to Clean Sport and raising awareness among athletes, the sporting public and others, of the importance of preventing doping.

Basis for the anti-doping community

Hanno du Preez, SADoCoL Director, says for SADoCoL, the celebration of the Play True Day supplies acknowledgement to the scientists who work around the clock to ensure the anti-doping campaigns, by various stakeholders on the continent, are supported by excellent scientific analysis and research.

“It is a privilege for SADoCoL to have been an active participant in the global anti-doping process for four decades. SADoCoL celebrates international Play True Day with its partners and stakeholders, including the host, the UFS, and is proud to be part of this system of excellence. 

“The possibility for SADoCoL to be housed by the UFS is an excellent gateway to ensure proper research is conducted and provides a basis where students are also trained in the application of scientific skills in a very specialised focus area such as anti-doping. Since the inception of the Play True campaign, it has grown to an international renowned celebration ensuring that anti-doping education is enhanced and the sharing of knowledge concerning prohibited substances and the illegal use of these performance-enhancing drugs in sport, is reiterated.”

The Play True campaign provides the basis for the anti-doping community to ensure that clean sport is commemorated and achieved and that the results of athlete participation are true and fair. Not only does this campaign ensure Clean Sport, but  also enhances the profile of a nation’s sporting community, when the athletes support the Clean Sport campaign and ensure that participation is fair and clean.

Commemorates efforts of the anti-doping partners

Prof Francis Petersen, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS, says the university is celebrating with its partners in  international Play True Day. This day commemorates the efforts of the anti-doping partners globally to ensure that clean competition prevails in all sports. Further, it enhances the commitment of our athletes to the principle of Clean Sport by taking part in this campaign. 

“The celebration is of importance to the UFS as it houses one of 30 globally accredited laboratories conducting the testing of athlete samples. SADoCoL, housed on the main campus of the UFS, has been in existence for almost 40 years and the importance of this laboratory commemorates the work which the UFS conducts as part of this important campaign.

With several national and international athletes representing the UFS, it is an important part of the community engagement and service provided by the UFS through the services of SADoCoL. The continuous efforts by the scientists of SADoCoL provide the opportunity for South African and African athletes to compete in the international arena, with the knowledge that it is conducted with a clear conscience and true to the principles of Clean Sport,” says Prof Petersen. 

 

Be true to yourself and compete on your own merit

Louzanne Coetzee, a UFS athlete who won silver and bronze medals at the Paralympic Games in 2021, says an organisation like WADA is important as it reminds athletes of the value of clean and fair sport. 

“As athletes we should strive to win on merit and not through doping, which is  the same as cheating. Sometimes people  make use of banned substances to win competitions, and this is unfair towards clean athletes. Doping can demotivate clean athletes, because they know they do not stand a chance against thosewho dope. 
“On this day, Play True Day 2023, my message is to be true to yourself and to compete on your own merit. Know that when you stand on a podium it is because of your own abilities, not drugs you took that allowed you to get there.”

Become part of this campaign and pledge your participation in clean sport and fair play!
#PlayTrue
#PlayTrueDay 
#OnePlayTrueTeam 
#UFS

News Archive

Open Day engulfs Bloemfontein Campus with colour, crowds and cheer
2013-05-04

 

08 May 2013
Photo: Lelanie de Wet


   Open Day YouTube video

The procession – comprising of Prof Jonathan Jansen and the Deans of all the UFS faculties – stately entered a packed Callie Human Centre on Saturday morning 4 May 2013. As everyone took their seats, all the lights were abruptly cut, leaving the hall in a stunned silence. Suddenly brilliant beams of green, blue and red lights cut through the dark, exploding into a spectacular laser show.

Open Day 2013 on the Bloemfontein Campus was officially under way.

The audience of parents and prospective students were awe-struck by a transfixing electric guitar performance, dancers lit up by LED suits, pulsing music and finally Corneil Muller singing to the accompaniment of Prof Jansen behind the piano.

Vice-Chancellor and Rector, Prof Jansen immediately made attendees from across all nine provinces, Namibia, Lesotho and several other countries feel at home and embraced by the university. During his welcoming address, Prof Jansen referred to the fact that Kovsies places the bar high when it comes to achievement. “We expect more of our students,” he said. “Passing is not important, passing wéll is important.” He stressed that at the university we teach students to be decent, to be exceptional people. “We place a high premium on being an outstanding human being.” He went on to say that our students are better than the previous generation – they do not carry the baggage of the old.

Prof Jansen also communicated the university’s commitment to developing leaders with an understanding of the world. This is why the university afford students the opportunity, amongst other things, to study abroad. Students have access to a wide variety of organisations and the privilege to have access to leaders who they can converse with. Kovsies strives to produce leaders, not only in the community, but on a global platform.

To demonstrate this last point, top Kovsie achievers joined Prof Jansen on stage to relay their stories of perseverance, courage and success. Included among these stars, were athlete Danél Prinsloo; Varsity Cup Player that Rocks 2013 Oupa Mohoje; DW Bester, a Rhodes Scholar currently studying at Oxford University in the United Kingdom; and Jurie Swart, who ranked under the top five in the 2012 International Graduate Architecture Student Design competition.

The residences pulled out all stops when it came to the presentation of their individual stalls. The gardens in front of the Main Building burst with colour, sound, dancing and laughter as the residences competed to draw the most visitors. The faculties also opened their doors for a glimpse at the exciting opportunities awaiting prospective students.

A record amount of visitors went home with the words of Rudi Buys, Dean of Student Affairs, inscribed in their minds summing up what the UFS is all about: “Where a sense of community matters more than the colour of your skin.”

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