Compliance with needle-use declarations at two Olympic Winter Games: Sochi (2014) and PyeongChang (2018).

OBJECTIVES: We describe compliance with the 'IOC Needle Policy' at two Winter Olympic Games (Sochi and PyeongChang) and compare these findings to those of the Summer Olympic Games of Rio de Janeiro. METHOD: All needle-use declaration(s) (NUD) received during the course of the 2014 and 2018 Olympic Games were reviewed. We recorded socio-demographic data, the nature and purpose of needle use, product(s) injected, and route of administration. Data were analysed descriptively. RESULTS: In total, doctors from 22 National Olympic Committees (NOCs) submitted 122 NUD involving 82 athletes in Sochi; in PyeongChang, doctors from 19 NOCs submitted 82 NUD involving 61 athletes. This represented approximately 2% of all athletes at both Games, and 25% and 20% of all NOCs participating in Sochi and PyeongChang, respectively. No marked differences in the NUD distribution patterns were apparent when comparing the two Winter Olympic Games. The most commonly administered substances were as follows: local anaesthetics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug and glucocorticoids. Physicians submitted multiple NUD for 24% of all athletes who required a NUD. CONCLUSION: A limited number of NOCs submitted NUD suggesting a low incidence of needle use or limited compliance (approximately 2%). A key challenge for the future is to increase the rate of compliance in submitting NUD. More effective education of NOCs, team physicians and athletes regarding the NUD policy, its purpose, and the necessity for NUD submissions, in association with the enforcement of the appropriate sanctions following non-compliance are needed.

Needle-use declarations at the Olympic Games Rio 2016.

AIM: We report on the results of the 'IOC Needle Policy' applied during the course of the Games of the XXXI Summer Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The policy was intended to empower physicians to ensure appropriate clinical use of needles within team medical environments, enhance the safety of those responsible for housekeeping services and others in the Olympic environment, and permit documentation of such procedures as an adjunct to the doping control programme. Any needle use required the submission of an 'Injection Declaration Form' to IOC medical officials. METHOD: All 'Injection Declaration Forms' were reviewed and archived. The declarations provided basic information regarding the nature of the needle use and the product(s) involved, the physician, athlete and respective National Olympic Committee (NOC). The details of the declarations were subsequently categorised. RESULTS: A total of 367 declarations were received from physicians representing 49 NOCs. Needle-use declarations were more common in athletics, gymnastics, football and aquatics. A single product was administered in 60% of the cases, and more than one product was administered in 40%. The majority of declarations indicated the use of local anaesthetics, glucocorticoids, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and analgesics. CONCLUSION: The introduction of a 'Needle Policy' in the Olympic Games setting was intended to minimise the use of needles by non-physicians, promote evidence-based practice and to deter needle-based doping practices. Declarations were received from 49 of 209 NOCs suggesting either that needle use is minimal among certain teams or opportunities remain to enhance compliance with such policies at future games.