From Gene Doping to Athlete Biological Passport

The results obtained in the field of genetic engineering applied to the sport have created a new form of doping: “gene doping”. It’s very difficult to identify athletes who have resorted to gene doping because many of treatment based on gene technologies are unlikely to be detected by urine or blood tests and the new technologies are often too invasive and not easily achievable. To fight gene doping in 2009 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) had published “the Athlete Biological Passport” (ABP), the new standard in testing, based on the personalized monitoring of biomarkers of doping. It is an individual electronic document, in which are enclosed biological data of the athlete. Through the marking variation of this biological parameters is possible detect use of gene doping. This document is actually the most important to detect gene doping in every sport’s practice. This article correlated gene doping, that represents a threat to the integrity of sport and the health of athletes, with ABP this new element of innovative strategies against doping.