During the second day of ParaSki4Europe athletes had time for free training with professional coaches and had opportunity to gain knowledge on antidoping. The workshop on antidoping where everybody could learn about “fair play” rules was prepared by POLADA. Competition on para cross country skiing and alpine skiing start on Thursday 27th.

It is quite rare to take part in antidoping workshop on “fair play” during competition, but fortunately it happens more and more often. Education in this very aspect seems crucial and in case of young athletes really fundamental, and the young athletes are those who have come in big number for European Winter Para Sport Event, Poland 2020, held in Czarna Góra Resort and Tauron Duszniki Arena. Polish activity in antidoping area has become stronger during the last few years. POLADA was formed in 2017 on the basis of former Antidoping Commission in Sport particularly thanks to the work of Witold Bańka, former Minister of Sports and Tourism who finally became the President of World Antidoping Agency. One of the main activities of POLADA is education and it was the mission completed by Grzegorz Borkowski during ParaSki4Europe.

This kind of workshops are very rare during parasport competitions, but I hope will be able to organize them more frequently. Unfortunately, we cannot say athletes with disabilities always play „fair”. Samples taken from the disabled athletes are quite often positive, which in this case is very negative because they are proof of forbidden substances.

 

The situation of many people with disabilities is difficult, as in many cases they have to take medicines whose ingredients are on list of forbidden substances. Hence, the knowledge on antidoping rules seems to be crucial.

Major part of violation of antidoping rules is a result of consuming medicine. The only way to solve the problem is to make both athletes and their coaches and parents aware of the fact  medicine can also contain forbidden substances and can be the reason of violation of antidoping rules – explains Borkowski.

 

The same opinion shares para Nordic French coach, who came for ParaSki4Europe with many young athletes and encouraged them to take part in the workshop. Vincent Duchene emphasizes knowledge on antidoping is as much important as physical and psychological preparation.

It is really crucial to know as much as it is possible on doping and antidoping. The athletes have to know that anybody, even a doctor can prescribe them something which can contain forbidden substances. Everybody has to be careful and know the procedures.

 

During the workshop both athletes and coaches could do a quiz on antidoping rules prepared by WADA. As the French coach confirmed, it was a very good way to learn the rules, especially as it turned out only a few people knew all the answers.

 

That is really great POLADA is here. Everyone can do the quiz and learn something. My athletes did 80% of the quiz, for some of them it was too difficult. I tried to help them, finally they tried to solve the quiz together, as a team.

 

To Czarna Góra Ski Resort and Duszniki Zdrój Cross Country Center there came about 300 participants, including almost 150 para athletes of different ages and sport levels, coming from 15 countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czeck Republic, France, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, Slovakia and Sweden).

On Thursday 27th the athletes start to  compete.

ParaSki4Europe will last until 1st of March. European Winter Para Sports Event, Poland 2020 is co-funded by Erasmus+ Sport Programme. Erasmus+Sport “Not-for-profit European Sport events “programme has, with very specific aims, to support volunteering in sport; social inclusion through sport; gender equality in sport and health-enhancing Physical Activity (HEPA). The event is also financed by Ministry of Sport and PKN Orlen, Sponsor of the Event.

 

The Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland Andrzej Duda.

 

European Winter Para Sports Event, Poland 2020 have the media patronage of TVP Sport, TVP3 Wrocław and niepelnosprawni.pl website.

 

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Photo: Adrian Stykowski/Polish Paralympic Committe

More information at www.paralympic.org.pl ParaSki4Europe and

 

https://eacea.ec.europa.eu/erasmus-plus/actions/sport/not-for-profit-european-sport-events_en.

 

#KibicujemyParaolimpijczykom