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KIST Dispatches Doping Analysis Experts to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (July 22, 2021)
- Date : 2021-10-26
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KIST Dispatches Doping Analysis Experts to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games
Korean doping experts, equipped with the world’s best doping technology, were invited to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, which were recently held. The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST; President: Dr. Seok-Jin Yoon) announced that it would dispatch Dr. Junghyun Son, the Head of KIST’s Doping Control Center, and Dr. Changmin Sung, a researcher from the same center, to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Since its establishment in 1984 to aid with hosting the Asian Games and 1988 Olympic Games, the KIST Doping Control Center has been conducting research to develop the latest detection technology and analyzing athletes' biological samples for anti-doping drugs. It has played an important role in establishing Korea as a sports powerhouse by supporting doping analysis efforts for numerous international competitions over the past 40 years. Recently, the Center has been focusing on research to equip the latest analysis systems, such as Brain-doping, Gene-doping, DBS (Dried Blood Spot), and APMU (Athlete Passport Management Unit).
Growth hormone drugs, which have been increasingly used by elite athletes these days, are very difficult to detect and also very effective at breaking records, so detecting them is an important topic for this year’s Olympic Games. According to data from the “Special Analysis Technology for High-Risk Items by Doping Centers around the World” report released by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in November 2020, there are only three countries worldwide that have analysis technology for prohibited drugs such as growth hormones: South Korea, the United States, and Brazil. As such, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Anti-Doping Research Institute invited Dr. Son and Dr. Sung from KIST‘s Doping Control Center to come to the Games.
The two will share KIST's analysis technologies of growth hormones and similar prohibited drugs, and know-how in analyzing doping samples accumulated through the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympic Games, with the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games Anti-Doping Research Institute. In addition, recent analysis technology for EPO (Erythropoietin), a banned hormone that production red cell production in the body and maximizes endurance, which became famous for being used by cycling star Lance Armstrong, will also be transferred.
The Head of the KIST Doping Control Center, Dr. Son, mentioned, “It is the role of anti-doping experts to develop the latest analysis technology and thoroughly verify athletes’ samples so that the Olympic Games, a festival to celebrate athletes’ efforts and determination, is not tainted by banned substances.” He also mentioned that he is proud to have the opportunity to transfer KIST’s excellent analysis skills and know-how to Japan, Korea’s neighbor, and wished the Korean national team good luck at the event.