Competition is on rise in kendo. This is a worldwide trend, national kendo federations want higher levels in organization, in preparing their competitors, and also they are more and more motivated to achieve better results. Every country tries to catch up with Japan, the sole ruler of the field for a long time, and they succeeded in it, shown by the 2009 World Championships in Brazil.
This strong competition involves ever increasing financial and prestige implications. Doping might have proportionally higher risk in those kinds of sport where competitors are paid by their scores. Doping control is done by unannounced inspections, based on weighted selection of doping sensitive kinds of sport, which have a high number of positive test results, and doping is probable. Kendo is not doping sensitive sport. Real time doping can only slightly increase competitors’ performance. However, in the preparatory period, it might be desirable to increase condition and capacity of competitors by using illegal drugs and methods. Also, someone might dope without meaning it, just because of unawareness. Therefore, during kendo competitions (or even during kendo practices) there might be unannounced doping control.
After the very unfortunate drug scandals of the Olympic Games of Athens 2004, Hungary is in the center of interest of WADA, and the international press. As a result, high regulatory pressure was applied to our national sport federations to create their anti-doping code, and make sure they perform doping control as required. Since the above mentioned Olympic Games, all sporting nations are affected by doping for illegal advantages, and using drugs that are very much adverse to health.
The current Anti-Doping Code of the Hungarian Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Federation became effective by 1 July 2006. Almost six months later – on 7 December – 2006 came into effect the Anti-Doping Code of the International Kendo Federation. In the fall of 2008 the Hungarian Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Federation established its Anti-Doping Board. It consists of a lawyer and three physicians. Their tasks are: to comply with local and international regulations, give information on doping, create the list of those competitors who belong to the nationally and internationally registered audit group, and comply with the whereabouts obligations of the former gro
Members of the Hungarian Kendo, Iaido and Jodo Federation’s Doping Commission
Dr. Gyula Sófi
Dr. Zsolt Fekete
Dr. Péter Sándor
Dr. Vera Bartók
