Dubai will host an anti-doping forum on September 17, with the risks facing young athletes and the use of dietary supplements among the main topics for discussion.
Dubai Police will organise the event alongside the UAE National Anti-Doping Agency and Dubai Sports Council.
The Anti-Doping in Sport Forum will include experts and officials from sport, health, security and academic organisations in the UAE and overseas.
It comes as clubs, academies and athletes prepare for the new sporting season in Dubai, with organisers placing particular emphasis on education and prevention.
Sessions will cover the health, legal and sporting consequences of doping, as well as emerging substances and methods. The responsibilities of athletes, clubs, federations and other sporting bodies will also be discussed.
Dietary supplements will be one of the forum’s three main areas of focus. A separate exhibition will address supplement use and the need for athletes to seek qualified advice before choosing products.
The subject carries particular importance in anti-doping. Athletes can face problems through supplements that contain prohibited substances, including products where ingredients may not be clearly identified.
Abdullah Ahmad Al Shehhi, Secretary-General of the UAE National Anti-Doping Agency, said responsibility for tackling doping extends across athletes, clubs, federations and authorities working in sport, health, education and security.
He said protecting athletes’ health and maintaining fair competition remain central to anti-doping work.
Young athletes will receive particular attention at the forum.
Brigadier Dr Jassim Mohammad Hassan Abdullah, Deputy Director of the General Department of Training at Dubai Police, said sporting organisations, families and specialist authorities all have a role in helping younger competitors understand the risks.
He also pointed to the importance of accurate information, particularly when athletes are making decisions about substances and supplements.
Dubai Police currently runs anti-doping workshops, lectures and visits to schools, sports clubs and gyms. Its programmes include the Aware Athlete initiative, which covers behaviour, health and wellbeing.
Lieutenant Colonel Salem bin Ghalaita Al Muhairi, a member of the Sports Integration Council at Dubai Police, said the aim of that work is to help athletes recognise potential risks before they cause harm.
Dubai Sports Council also runs anti-doping education for clubs, teams and different age groups.
Ali Omar Al Balooshi, Director of the Sports Development Department at Dubai Sports Council, said athletes and the medical, coaching and administrative staff around them need to remain aware of changes to anti-doping regulations.
The September 17 forum will focus on three areas: the effects of doping, dietary supplement use and examples showing the consequences doping can have for athletes.
