China to share anti-doping management system, says official

China is willing to share its experience in applying artificial intelligence and big data technology to the fight against doping in sport, a top anti-doping official has said.

"The China Anti-Doping Agency (CHINADA) would like to use this open and shared platform to share our new practices, so as to contribute to a more innovative, coordinated and efficient anti-doping program worldwide," CHINADA director Chen Zhiyu told the CHINADA International Anti-Doping Symposium here on Friday.

Chen said that an intelligent management system has been established to help CHINADA's work including testing, analysis of test results and personnel management.

"This system worked well at last year's Chinese National Games," he said.

"The 3,333 doping tests conducted during the National Games went 100 percent paperless, and the whole process of each doping control stations could be monitored by the command center via the intelligent system in real time."

"We are willing to develop functions catering for needs of other anti-doping agencies and share the management system with them so as to contribute to the global anti-doping cause," Chen added.

Last year, CHINADA conducted a record-high 26,320 doping tests. The CHINADA head noted that big data technology is playing a more important role in conducting targeted tests.

"To ensure testing at such an extensive scale really deter and detect doping, you need to identify which the events or even athletes with a high risk of potential doping are. The system really helps save costs and raise the efficiency," said Chen.

He added that CHINADA is making efforts to advance the management system with more accuracy.

Chen also highlighted China's role as "one of the initiators and investors" of the global dried blood spot (DBS) project.

The innovative DBS testing takes a few drops of blood from an athlete's fingertip to dry on blotting paper, which allows scientists to analyze the trace of certain substances. The method is less painful for athletes, more economical and easier to store and transport.

"We independently designed the DBS equipment, namely 'Core Shell', and 'Core Shell' was successfully implemented at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games," Chen said.

DBS testing was first applied as a routine method at the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, where 105 DBS tests were conducted.

More than 1,000 people took part in the two-day symposium, with many of the participants attending virtually.