Slovakia was also represented at the Olympics by the doping commissioner and manager

At the just-concluded Summer Olympics in Paris 2024, Slovakia had a wide representation not only among athletes, coaches and referees, but also in the ranks of doping commissioners. The Anti-Doping Agency of the Slovak Republic, which is a departmental contributory organization of the Ministry of Tourism and Sport of the Slovak Republic, was represented by Doping Commissioner Ivana Pospiš and Doping Control Station Manager Alexandra Megoóvá.

As for athletes, the Olympics are an exceptional event for doping commissioners, and participation in it requires meeting strict criteria. The Doping Commissioner must meet the requirements of the International Testing Agency (ITA) and complete training, which is renewed every two years. In addition, they must have a minimum of five years of experience at the national level and three years of experience from major international events. If he meets these conditions, he can be nominated for the Olympic or Paralympic Games.

"The Olympics is the biggest sports holiday once every 4 years. It is understandable that there is a lot of interest in getting into it and I am very proud that they chose me out of 700 candidates. The experience from last year's important sporting event such as the European Games in Poland also helped me. The whole process of organizing commissioners is quite complex in terms of communication, digital platforms were used, through which intensive training and knowledge verification took place. The commissioners are monitored during the performance of their work not only by the station manager, but also by representatives of the World Anti-Doping Agency," says Ivana Pospiš after her return to Slovakia.

Despite the fact that for doping commissioners the Games in Paris were mainly about workload, which was often ten hours, the opportunity to be in the center of events is still an exceptional experience. "Given that I am a former athlete and my dream was to get to the Olympics, I fulfilled it as a doping commissioner. It's amazing to stand in the stadium in places where records are set and medals are won. And the biggest bonus is to be close to top athletes."

For decades, doping controls have been one of the top athletes who do not take the commissioners negatively, but rather as an integral part of their sports lives. However, after physical exertion, it is sometimes not entirely easy and quick to get the necessary sample from the competitor. Many have different methods that help them, and Ivana Pospiš also has hers: "I went to test field hockey athletes. After arriving at the doping station, I filled out a form with the athlete and asked her if she was able to hand over the required sample. Many times, athletes are stressed about taking a urine sample, which is why I use my auxiliary methods to help the athlete relax and relax. One such method is that I run cold water on the athlete's feet. We laughed a lot about it and I don't even know how, but I flooded the toilet area. The athlete handed over a sample and noted that it was a funny process. I try to make athletes laugh, understand them and be empathetic to them."

All participants take away original experiences, experiences and contacts from the French capital, which they can later use in their work. "I met many people from different countries, visited famous monuments and I was very pleased that we had the Slovak House in Paris, where I went to relax and greet our athletes. For all this, I would like to thank the Anti-Doping Agency of the Slovak Republic, which, with its support and professional work, also educates doping commissioners for important sporting events, such as the Olympic and Paralympic Games. It should be noted that this is also an opportunity to present Slovakia abroad through sport," added Ivana Pospiš.

The Anti-Doping Agency of the Slovak Republic will also be represented at the upcoming Paralympic Games, which will start in Paris on August 28. Kamila Chomaničová, who, in addition to the position of doping commissioner, works at the agency as an education specialist, was selected for the Paralympic Games.