Dopinglinkki/A-Clinic Foundation, Finland

The Dopinglinkki, which is part of the A-Clinic Foundation, is a multi-functional project that focuses on low-threshold health advisory service, education and information sharing between national and international authorities dealing with different aspects of doping in recreational sport. Dopinglinkki is the only government body in Finland that provides people in fitness training with health counselling on doping issues making it unique. The work is funded by grants from the Funding Centre for Social Welfare and Health Organisations (STEA) and the Ministry of Education and Culture. The project’s web service provides scientifically based information and expert advice on doping issues. It is intended for fitness enthusiasts who use doping substances, their family members and friends, and professionals from different fields who meet users of doping substances in their work. Information is offered in Finnish, Swedish, English and Russian. The non-Finnish language versions have a steady user base outside of Finland (Google Analytics) thus also serving a larger population. The Dopinglinkki website has approximately 45,000 national and international visitors each month.

Dopinglinkki participates actively in European and international networks and events in its field (e.g. Sportvision 2012 Copenhagen, Denmark, Prof. Arne Ljungqvist Anti-Doping Foundation: Doping as a public health issue 2012, Stockholm, Sweden, Conference of Sports Medicine 2013, Helsinki, Finland, 6th IWG World Conference on Women and Sport 2014, 7th Conference of Baltic Society of Sport Sciences 2014, Tartu, Estonia, MOVE Congress 2015, Copenhagen, Denmark, Anabolic Steroids: Evidence and Engagement Conference 2016, Liverpool, United Kingdom, International Congress on Sport, Doping and Society 2017, Madrid, Spain, Doping in Public Health 2017, Oslo, Norway, Erasmus+ Cluster meeting ‘The Integrity of Sport’, Brussels 2018, International conference: Fitness doping and public health, Copenhagen 2019). Dopinglinkki organized the 5th Nordic Conference on Appearance and Performance Enhancing Drugs & Anti-Doping Work 2015 in Helsinki, Finland. Furthermore, Dopinglinkki organised the final international conference of their Erasmus+ Sport project during the Presidency of the Council of the European Union 2019.

Dopinglinkki also provides education and research on doping in recreational sport, especially e-learning courses for the medical doctors, nurses, security (e.g. prison officers, police) and fitness (e.g. personal trainers) industries. By leading the Clean Fitness Commitment network, Dopinglinkki reaches more than 700 fitness centres in Finland. Dopinglinkki does not address doping in competitive sports, it is focused solely on anti-doping work in recreational sport.