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SADoCoL staff members off to the Olympic and Paralympic Games

18 June 2024 | Story André Damons | Photo Suplied

Two staff members from the South African Doping Control Laboratory (SADoCoL) which is housed at the University of the Free State (UFS), have been selected to work at the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, in Paris, France.

Elandré Williams and Betsie Human will support the Paris laboratory during both games. The Olympic Games will take place from 26 July to 11 August 2024 and the Paralympic Games from 28 August to 8 September 2024.

Williams will be involved in steroid profile analysis, which includes sample preparation, analysis and data processing by Gas Chromatography (GC) and Isotope Ratio Mass Spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS).

Part of the fight against doping

“I am excited, optimistic and privileged to have been given this opportunity, but I have to say that I am also quite nervous as this is most probably the biggest sporting event of the year. Being a part of the fight against doping in sport remains a great responsibility as what we do directly impacts the athletes,” says Williams.

She says is looking forward to the entire experience, from doing what she loves on an international level, meeting other analysts in the field and being part of the fight against doping in sport on an Olympic level.

This is her first big international sporting event.

“I am also looking forward to learning from other experts in the field who have more experience and to witness the procedures and the manner in which the laboratory operates at this time where the sample numbers are extremely high with the added pressure to finalise results in short turn-around times. This is a great opportunity for growth, both individually and in my field of expertise, in the scientific and the doping control field.

“It will definitely be an advantage for me as an analyst to get exposure to how the entire analytical procedure is executed in another laboratory, as well as insight into possible new techniques and advancements that I will be able to apply back at SADoCoL. I also think this is a great way to improve my ideas, perspectives and level of expertise as I will be working and witnessing other scientific experts in the doping control field.”

Managing workflow and logistics at the Games

Human, who was an analyst at the 2010 Soccer World Cup in South Africa, says she is both nervous and excited for this experience.

“I was a junior analyst at SADoCoL during the 2010 Soccer World Cup, but you cannot compare a single-sport discipline with a multisport discipline like the Olympic Games – The Games will be exponentially bigger.

“In the past 14 years doping control as a whole has grown significantly. New technologies, updated requirements, more sensitive testing methods have emerged – this will be a new experience,” says Human.

She will also be involved with sample preparation/analysis/data processing and says she is looking forward to seeing how the work-flow and logistics associated with the Games (massive amounts of samples/tight deadlines etc) is managed in a high through-put laboratory.

“I am of course also looking forward to meeting analysts from other labs – we are a bit secluded here at the southern tip of Africa. Collaboration between labs is tricky when your closest neighbour is in Europe.

“It is always eye-opening to see how other labs manage similar situations (even though an Olympics is quite different from normal routine days) – exposure to new techniques and alternative thinking has a way of elevating your own thought processes and it promotes growth – both as an individual and as a doping control analyst.”

Immensely proud

Hanno du Preez, Director of SADoCoL, says the laboratory personnel are immensely proud that two of their staff members were chosen to participate in this international event, which for many scientists is the peak of their career. Similarly, this provides acknowledgement to the staff members for the area in which they have been working.

“It is only a select few who are requested to provide service at the Olympic Games. The work conducted in an Olympic laboratory provides experience which cannot be gained elsewhere. The workload and fast-paced analysis is something which the personnel are used to, but the Olympics will bring a different dimension to the processes.

“We are excited to see what Betsie and Elandré bring back, with regards to new viewpoints on processes which are similar in all anti-doping laboratories. Individual experiences uplift everyone in a regulated business unit such as SADoCoL and also ensures improved relationships between laboratories, as other anti-doping laboratories will be represented at the Games as well. We wish them all the best for the experience, and we thank them for being dedicated ambassadors for SADoCoL and the UFS.”

News Archive

Student leaders 2012/13 announced

2012-08-30

Ready for the task - Sabelo Khumalo, SRC President of the Qwaqwa Campus and William Clayton, SRC President of the Bloemfontein Campus.
Photo: Johan Roux
31 August 2012

The 2012/13 elections for the Student Representative Councils (SRC) of the University of the Free State were completed successfully and show meaningful support for the changes in student governance adopted by students across campuses over the past two years.

The SRC elections at the Qwaqwa Campus were completed on 23 August 2012, while the elections at our Bloemfontein Campus took place on 27 and 28 August 2012.

The SRC Elections at our Bloemfontein Campus showed a voter turnout of 4516 votes (30.8%), with the elections at the Qwaqwa Campuses showing 1753 votes (46%) – both campuses reached the required quorums and the IEA (Bloemfontein Campus) and IEC (Qwaqwa Campus) declared the elections free and fair and announced the results as a true reflection of the will of the student bodies at the campuses.

The full SRC at Bloemfontein Campus now consists of 62% black and 38% white, and 53% female and 47% male members.

In the Qwaqwa elections, SADESMO achieved 46, 38% of the vote, with SASCO, PASMA and NASMO each achieving 30,23% and 8,39% and 14,26%, respectively.

The successful elections at Bloemfontein Campus show that the detailed transformation of student governance introduced by students at the Campus in 2010 and adopted by the university in 2011, succeeded in mobilizing greater participation of students in governance and representation. These changes in the main included a shift to independent candidacy for elective portfolios (12 seats) and organizational candidacy in nine sub-councils that holds ex officio seats on the SRC. Changes also included the establishment of student representative seats in faculty governance and management forums and the adoption of a reviewed Central SRC Constitution. Ex officio seats hold full and equal constitutional authority in the SRC.

Students at Qwaqwa Campus introduced additional portfolios to its SRC, including ex-officio seats for academic affairs, arts and culture, commuter students, Rag Community Service, religious affairs, residences and sports.

A joint sitting of the Campus SRCs will establish the Central SRC 2012/13 on 9 September 2012.

As a further opportunity for participation in and the development of student governance and representation, the current Central SRC herewith also announces its recent adoption of a student governance advisory programme, namely the UFS Student Elders Council (SEC).

The SEC is established as a combined programme between the Central SRC and the Dean of Student Affairs and will consist of selected senior student leaders from all campuses who completed their terms of office, apply and are appointed to the Elders Council by the Central SRC.

The Council will serve as an advisory structure to the Central SRC and other student structures in support of the continuous development of student governance and representation of the student body at the university.

The SEC will advise the Central SRC to be constituted following the constitution of the respective Campus SRCs.

The SRC members at the Bloemfontein Campus are:

President: Mr William Clayton

Vice-President: Mr Bonolo Thebe

Secretary: Ms Karis-Robin Topkin

Treasurer: Mr Pieter Coetzee

Arts & Culture: Ms Chanmari Erasmus

Accessibility & Student Support: Ms Gene McCaskill

First-generation Students: Ms Tanya Calitz

Legal and Constitutional Affairs: Ms Nokuthula Sithole

Media, Marketing & Liaison: Ms Neo Chere

Sport: Mr Tshepo Moloi

Student Development & Environmental Affairs: Ms Thabisile Mgadi

Transformation: Ms Koketso Mofokeng

Dialogue & Ex officio: Associations Council: Mr Anesu Ruswa

Academic Affairs & Ex officio: Academic Affairs Council: Ms Nombuso Ndlovu

Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Residences Council: Mr Johann Steyn

City Residence Affairs & Ex officio: Commuter Council: Mr Michael van Niekerk

Postgraduate Affairs & Ex officio: Postgraduate Council: Mr Fadeyi Akinsuyi

International Affairs & Ex officio: International Council: Ms Tumelo Moreri

Student Media Affairs & Ex officio: Media Council: Mr Jamal-Dean Grootboom

RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Fundraising Council: Mr Jaco Faul

RAG Community Service & Ex officio: RAG Community Service Council: Ms Keneue Mahloana

The SRC members at the Qwaqwa Campus are:

President General: Mr S Khumalo

Deputy President: Mr P T Lenka

Secretary General: Mr D Khethang

Treasurer General: Mr S I Sithole

Media & Publicity: Mr S N Ntombela

Politics & Transformation: Tbc

Student Development & Evironmental Affairs: Tbc Academic Affairs: Mr T Molawude

Arts & Cultural Affairs: Mr T Nkohli

Off-Campus Students: Mr B Mtshali

RAG, Community Service & Dialogue: Ms S F Mlotya

Religious Affairs: Ms D C Khau

Residence & Catering Affairs: Ms Z Mzolo

Sports Council: Mr S Mngomezulu

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