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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

Breeding of unique game requires a balance between conservation and sustainable use
2014-05-20

 

Game bred for qualities such as unconventional hair colour or horn quality, may on the long term have unexpected consequences for biodiversity and game farming.

This is according to the inaugural lecture of Prof Paul Grobler from the Department of Genetics at the University of the Free State (UFS).

Prof Grobler feels that the consequences of selective breeding should be examined carefully, as there is currently much speculation on the subject without sound scientific information to back it.

“At the moment, colour variation invokes much interest among game farmers and breeders. Unusual colour variants are already available in different game species. These unusual animals usually fetch much higher prices at auctions compared to prices for the ‘normal’ individuals of the species.”

Examples of these unusual variants are springbuck being bred in white, black or copper colours, the black-backed or ‘saddleback’ impala, and the gold-coloured and royal wildebeest.

A black-backed impala was recently sold for R5,7 million.

“Based on genetic theory, good reason exists why these practices need to be monitored, but one should also take care not to make the assumption that selective breeding will inevitably lead to problems,” warns Prof Grobler.

Grobler says that negative characteristics in a species can sometimes unwittingly be expressed during the selection process for a unique colour. “It is seen, for example, in purebred dogs where the breeding of a new race sometimes brings underlying genetic deviations in the species to the front.” He also believes that some of these animals may not be able to adapt to changing environmental conditions.

“However, one should also look at the positive side: because of the good demand for game, including unusual variants, there is much more game in South Africa today than in many decades. Balance should be found between the aims of conservation and the sustainable utilisation of game.”

Research at the UFS’s Department of Genetics is now trying to establish the genetic effects of intensive game breeding and predict the impact on biodiversity.

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