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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

Inaugural lecture: World on verge of agricultural revolution
2008-05-19

A changing economic climate and new technology will see to a number of interesting changes in the livestock industry in the next few years. This is according to Prof. Frikkie Neser of the Department of Animal and Wildlife and Grassland Sciences, who delivered his inaugural lecture at the UFS on the subject: “The quest for a superior animal”.

Prof. Neser focused on the future of animal breeding in the next few decades.

He said the world, but especially South Africa, stand on the verge of a revolution in the agriculture sector. The whole production scenario will probably change. The high fuel and food prices are the two biggest factors that will play a role.

“Increasing fuel prices opened the door for the production of bio-fuel. The fuel industry is in direct competition with humans and the livestock industry for the same resource that result in unbelievable high prices for maize, sunflower and soya. These prices can further increase with the worldwide shortage of food,” he said.

More profitable breeds could take the place of existing breeds because of the big increase in input costs, he said. “Selection for more effective, and not maximum production, will became more important.

“There are also indications of pressure on feed lots. If this industry downsizes, it could lead to a total turnaround in the beef industry. The feed lots prefer a later maturing animal that can put on a lot of weight before fat is laid down. If this industry declines, early maturing breeds and some of the synthetic breeds, as well as crossbreeding with early maturing breeds, will play a more prominent role in the meat industry.

“This will also lead to a decline in the total number of animals in order to prevent overgrazing. This can result in an increase in imports from neighbouring countries and especially Brazil, where production costs are much lower.

“One way to increase the profitability of meat production is to utilise niche markets. There is world-wide a shift to more natural products. The demand for grass-fed beef drastically increased. According to research it is healthier than meat from feed lots and usually free of hormones and antibiotics. If factors such as traceability are put in place, this could be a very profitable niche mark for the South African meat industry,” he said.

Prof. Neser also said: “In order for breeding societies to survive they need to increase the number of members and the animals that are being registered. This they do by replacing the word stud with recorded animals. Hereby they open the door for excellent commercial animals to become part of the seed-stock industry. Another benefit is that especially in the smaller breeds more information becomes available, resulting in more accurate breeding values.”

Prof. Frikkie Neser.

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