The Biological Passport has become a fundamental tool in the fight against doping by International Federations and National Anti-Doping Organizations. In Spain, its implementation has led to the first administrative sanctions against national-level athletes by the end of 2018.
This passport is a collection of an athlete’s normal physiological data, obtained over time through the analysis of urine and/or blood samples. By applying a mathematical model developed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), graphs are produced which international experts analyze to determine if the detected variations suggest the use of prohibited substances or methods. This process concludes with a report that serves as evidence for potential sanctions for doping rule violations.
Alberto Yelmo, our lawyer specializing in Doping Law, discusses in this legal commentary published by the Spanish Association of Sports Law (AEDD), the implications of the lack of specific regulation for the Biological Passport within the Spanish sanctioning framework.