For the first time the organizing board of the National Sports Games 2010, which took place in late December 2010, conducted a random dope test. With only 30 samples out of over 3000 athletes, one sample tested positive for dope.

Weightlifter Hoang Anh Tuan.

The move of the National Sports Games 2010 organizing board was warmly supported by experts and fans because in many years, Vietnam didn’t test doping among athletes. Until after weightlifter was tested positive for dope at the World Weightlifting Championship 2010 and was banned for two years by the International Weightlifting Federation, dope was not considered a threat by sports officials.

According to the testing results of the Beijing Doping Test Center, of 30 samples from Vietnam, one is positive for Methandienone, which is banned by the World Anti-doping Organization. The sample belongs to Ngo Thi Hanh, 21, a weightlifter from the central province of Ha Tinh, who won three gold medals at the National Sports Games 2010.

If there is one positive of each 30 samples, the number of athletes who were doping at the National Sports Games 2010 is quite high.

It is not the fault of anti-doping managers of Vietnam because Vietnam doesn’t have a dope testing center yet. The fee for testing a sample in China is up to $300, plus transport fee, etc. As a result, it is unable to perform doping tests for all sportsmen.

But how to control dope? Competent officials can only say that they will tighten inspection and raise the awareness of athletes and coaches.

This year Vietnam plans to test dope at random at national championships, with the same rate at the National Sports Games 2010 (1/100). This will be considered a warning method while the doping test center is under construction.

Like Hoang Anh Tuan, if Ngo Thi Hanh’s second sample is confirmed to be positive to doping, she may be punished by the World Weightlifting Federation.

PV