The Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) is a monitoring program designed to detect changes in an athlete's biological profile that may indicate the use of performance-enhancing drugs or methods. Here is some information about the ABP:

 

• Purpose: The ABP was introduced as part of the World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) efforts to improve the detection of doping in sport. The program is based on the idea that changes in an athlete's biological profile over time can provide evidence of doping, even in the absence of a positive drug test.

 

• What it monitors: The ABP monitors various biological markers, including blood and urine parameters, to establish an individual athlete's unique biological profile. These markers are then tracked over time to detect any significant changes that may indicate doping.

 

• How it works: Athletes are required to provide blood and urine samples for analysis on a regular basis. The results of these tests are entered into the athlete's ABP, which is managed by WADA. Any significant changes in the athlete's biological profile over time can trigger further investigation and testing.

 

• Benefits: The ABP has several benefits over traditional drug testing methods. For one, it allows anti-doping authorities to detect the use of certain substances that are difficult to detect through traditional drug testing. It also provides a more individualized approach to anti-doping, as each athlete's biological profile is unique.

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• Challenges: The ABP is not without its challenges. One issue is the cost of implementing the program, which requires significant resources and infrastructure to collect and analyze the required samples. There is also the issue of false positives, which can occur when changes in an athlete's biological profile are not related to doping but are instead due to other factors such as illness or injury.

 

Overall, the Athlete Biological Passport is an important tool in the fight against doping in sport. By monitoring an athlete's biological profile over time, the ABP provides a more sophisticated and targeted approach to anti-doping that can help ensure fair competition and protect the health of athletes.