Partnership For Clean Competition

Hormones encompass various substances that can have powerful performance-enhancing effects through different mechanisms (e.g. steroids, EPO, and growth hormone). This book provides an overview of the state of hormone doping in sport, types of hormones used for performance enhancement, analytical challenges, and important gaps in the field.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK305894/

The author David Handelsman has received PCC funding to support his research.

Does doping behavior develop over time, beginning with the use of supplements that athletes believe may impact performance? Researchers examined how athletes' use of and beliefs surrounding supplements were related to doping attitudes. While the associations were weak, their findings support the incremental model of doping behavior and suggest that athletes who are young, male, and non-competitive may be particularly vulnerable.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13119637/

A review of 44 studies on prohibited substances and adulterants in dietary supplements found that approximately 9-15% of the commercially available supplements tested were contaminated with prohibited substances and/or unapproved drugs (most commonly stimulants and anabolic agents).

Their findings highlight the magnitude of the contamination issue, the need for improved manufacturing and labeling practices, and the potential exposure risks for athletes and others who consume supplements.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13021601/

Qatar Anti Doping Agency

Accurate estimates of the use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) can inform the development of more effective anti-doping programs. Researchers identified demographic and attitude-related factors closely linked to use of PEDs, and they developed a new statistical approach for estimating the prevalence of PED use. Their approach does not rely on self-report surveys of PED use, and the estimated prevalence was higher than estimates using direct questioning methods.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13019719/

We have some exciting projects underway following our first round of applications for the year. Among those ongoing projects is a study by Dr. David Handelsman titled "Investigating Estrogen Blockade in Healthy Women.” In this project, Dr. Handelsman aims to examine if prohibiting anti-estrogen drugs is appropriate for female athletes. Current policies are backed by physiological reactions in males but lack the same physiological basis for females. This project addresses a gap in existing research and could have implications for prohibited substances in women's sport.

Kisspeptin, a testosterone-stimulating peptide, was added to the WADA Prohibited List in 2024. Anti-doping scientists recently assessed the stability of kisspeptins in serum and urine, and they developed and validated new LC-MS methods to reliably detect kisspeptin and its analogues in both matrices.

https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dta.70081

The PCC was proud to support Dr. Sophia Krombholz as a PCC Fellow, and Dr. Mario Thevis has also previously received PCC funding for his research.

RNA-based biomarkers may extend the detection window for recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO), but genes that respond to rHuEPO may also respond to exercise and altitude training. Researchers examined 153 rHuEPO-responsive genes and identified a subset of 50 genes that were not affected by exercise or altitude stimuli. These genes may hold promise as transcriptomic markers of rHuEPO administration.

https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dta.70040

Don’t miss our latest podcast episode, where we talked with two-time Olympian Kara Goucher. Kara believed she had found the perfect team to help her achieve her full athletic potential, but in 2011 she made the difficult decision to walk away when she believed her coach was encouraging the use of performance-enhancing drugs. She later went on to testify against her coach and share the trials and triumphs of her athletic career in her book, “The Longest Race”.

Listen to the full episode here:
https://cleancompetition.org/anti-doping-podcast/173

Team USA, U.S. Anti-Doping Agency

To facilitate anti‐doping investigations, researchers developed a reliable, mass spectrometry‐based qualitative screening platform that can detect prohibited substances in products in near-real time. This approach, combined with tailored software‐driven analysis, has the potential to enhance clean sport as a complement to current laboratory‐based confirmatory testing.

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13124081/

Co-authors Dr. Liam Heaney and Dr. Mario Thevis have previously received PCC funding to support their research.

We’re thrilled to be featured in the May edition of the American Physiological Society’s magazine, The Physiologist Magazine. The Physiologist Magazine spotlights the work of APS members and partners, including important topics such as women’s health, entrepreneurship in physiology, and exercise physiology. We’re honored to be highlighted alongside some of the brightest minds in physiology research.

https://www.physiology.org/publications/news/the-physiologist-magazine/2026/the-physiologist-magazine-may-2026?SSO=Y

Detection of long-term metabolites in routine analyses has enhanced our ability to identify use of prohibited substances, particularly anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS).

Authors developed and validated two new analytical strategies for determining the long-term metabolites of the AAS oxandrolone in urine, and they compared these strategies to an established method. Further research can examine if these new approaches may be relevant for other drug metabolites as well.

https://analyticalsciencejournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/dta.70080

Senior author Dr. Günter Gmeiner has previously received PCC funding for his research.

Seibersdorf Labor GmbH

A Comparison of Three Analytical Procedures for Oxandrolone Long‐Term Metabolite Determination in Urine Samples In doping control analysis, constant improvement and development of analytical strategies is required to detect and confirm prohibited substances. Three analytical approaches are presented for the de...