Do any Irish triathletes use drugs?

Given the current drug use allegations being made about Russian athletes and the apparent country-wide performance enhancing drug use practices in operation, it is only natural people who know you are into triathlon and cycling will ask: “do triathletes use drugs?” I honestly don’t know anything about drug use in Irish triathlon circles. I haven’t heard of anyone being banned. I do however know a few triathletes who have been tested. But I’ve never been tested and I am not aware of any triathlete who has been tested during the 2014/2015 season. This is not to say Triathlon Ireland and race organisers across the country are not aware of it, just that drug testing, such as it is occurring at all, seems to be happening somewhat under the radar.

Awareness of the need to advise triathletes not to use performance enhancing drugs exists in Ireland. Before the start of the Super Series of Triathlon Ireland races this season (2014/2015), all Category 1 qualifying triathletes received an email from Triathlon Ireland setting out all anti-doping requirements for TI athletes. It informed us checking our medication and directed us to information about what happens if and when we are tested at an event (or out of competition if on the registered testing pool) and what your rights are as a triathlete.

We were asked to take part in ‘Real Winner’ (http://www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/Education-Zone/Are_you_a_Real_Winner_/) which is an interactive e-learning education programme about anti-doping covering topics such as Doping Control Procedures, the WADA Prohibited List, whereabouts, therapeutic use exemption and the consequences of doping. To prove we had watched each module of the programme, we had to use our own name to access the programme, state triathlon as our sport and our level of competition. A certificate is issued automatically after all modules are been completed; we were asked to send this into TI.

TI also asked us to check any medication(s) and foods, including supplements, so as to avoid inadvertent doping. Northern Ireland triathletes were directed to the Global-dro website and Republic triathletes to the Eirpharm website and/or app. We were also pointed to the WADA Prohibited list for 2015 (mobile app also available).

TI also provided details about Therapeutic Use Exemptions – yes, the dreaded TUE, so famed by Lance Armstrong’s backside. For the most part, those Irish triathletes who are part of the Irish Sports Council’s Registered Testing Pool of athletes can apply for one to allow them to use such medications as asthma inhalers, but most others need only tell their GP that they may at some point need a post-competition TUE for the relevant medicine. I am aware of a number of Category 1 triathletes who received advice from TI on the TUE issue.

TI also offered a named contact for all questions arising throughout the season in respect of doping issues, held anti-doping education outreaches at four national races​this season and held a brief anti-doping session at a Base2Race Expo held on the 25th of April 2015.

​The message to Category 1 triathletes was clear: race clean. I’d say most did. But could I be 100% sure? No.

Hopefully all those racing in Irish triathlon this year were clean, but I have certainly heard a number of performances questioned, with eyebrows raised as someone says: “drugs”. If eyebrows are being raised, it means more testing and often more expensive testing. It is not enough for TI to focus on raising awareness.

There is a need to prove Irish triathletes are clean. If bigger budgets are needed at Irish events to ensure, say, the top five overall and the top triathlete in each age category is tested, then this should be prioritised over non-essentials such as recording films of races for which TI requires a budget from race organisers.