Spotlight on youth education for WADA Play True Day

To mark Play True Day 2026, we examine the importance of anti-doping education for young handball athletes.

Respect Your Talent: The primary EHF vehicle for youth education

The EHF Anti-Doping Unit was installed in July 2012, following a decision at the 11th Ordinary Congress, with the task of controlling and monitoring as well as educating and raising awareness of anti-doping issues. Further to that and specific to young players, the EHF’s Respect Your Talent (RYT) programme holds anti-doping education as an integral part of its tasks. 

The RYT programme was launched in 2019, with its key activities including the hosting of regular workshops in conjunction with Younger Age Category tournaments, the holding of camps for players who become part of the programme through those Younger Age Category tournaments and online webinars free of charge and available for anyone to attend.

In addition, an RYT app was created with the goal of providing at-home educational tools for young players and those working with them. Anti-doping education forms a part of all RYT activities and is one of seven key areas addressed on the app.

Specifically, the app houses “training sessions” where users can learn about a certain topic from EHF experts, obtain helpful “pro tips” from established top players who function as RYT ambassadors and complete quizzes to reinforce their knowledge. 

The lessons contained within the anti-doping section of the app are:

• Navigate the anti-doping system — pro tips from Eduarda Amorim
• Know forbidden substances and methods — pro tips from Luka Stepancic
• Handle your first doping control — pro tips from Ana Gros
• Avoid mistakes in times of illness — pro tips from Jerome Fernandez
• Deal with a positive doping test — pro tips from Nerea Pena

Creating the conditions for clean sport in the future

WADA functions with the support and participation of governments, public authorities and other public and private bodies. That includes not only international but national handball federations.

Examining the role of national handball federations and the value they place in youth anti-doping education more closely, we incorporate the perspectives of two EHF member federations: The Swedish Handball Federation (Svenska Handbollförbundet; SHF) and the Handball Federation of Montenegro (Rukometni Savez Crne Gore; RSCG). 

“Young athletes in Montenegro know very little about anti-doping rules, which is why education about it is very important,” says physiotherapist for the Montenegro men’s and women’s senior national teams Andrija Damjanovic.

“Anti-doping education makes many young athletes more aware of how important it is to engage in clean sport and achieve results, and they know exactly what they should and should not take.”

Sweden U20 women’s national team coach Jennie Linnéll, a former player herself and a member of the EHF Expert network, highlights the responsibility of a federation to prepare their players and ensure the future of the sport in doing so. 

“It is very important to have anti-doping education for young athletes because they are at an age where we have a responsibility to ensure that they receive support and knowledge in areas that are important for becoming elite athletes,” says Linnéll.

“In Sweden, there are very good and simple digital training courses that both coaches and players complete annually to work actively together with the issue. Being reminded several times as a young athlete and learning more about anti-doping work creates the conditions for clean sport for everyone in the future.”

Head of anti-doping in the SHF, Hampus Lüning, elaborates on the educational structure in Sweden:

“We have a national programme called ‘Vaccinate the Club,’ which is a series of anti-doping measures including education of young athletes and leaders of the club. It is mandatory for all elite clubs and recommended for the rest. 

“Another mandatory education is ‘ren vinnare,’ which translates to ‘Clean Winner.’ It is an online education platform in which the player goes through different learning modules and ends with an examination. This is mandatory for all elite players in Sweden as well as for all youth players in the national teams. It is recommended for all others from 15 years of age,” he says.

“For all youth players, the Swedish anti-doping unit offers free online and on-site lectures in anti-doping. It is common that these lectures are held at the handball college (gymnasium) where youth handball players study. This is from 15 years of age but can be held at any club at all ages. It is also an obligatory section in education for all trainers to learn about anti-doping.”

In Montenegro, the RSCG is actively involved in the educational process, which is led by the Anti-Doping Agency of Montenegro — the country’s responsible authority for such education. The RSCG incorporates education into the regular activities of the national teams and organises independent lectures to supplement the education.

“Education should start from the lowest levels”

There is clear consensus that anti-doping education should start young — especially because of the ease of accessibility for both the right information and those that can potentially cause an athlete problems.

“It is important for all ages to learn about nutrition and training. I think it is especially important from 16 years of age to learn about supplements and anti-doping since they see different commercials and online influences daily,” says Lüning, while Damjanovic concludes:

“Given how accessible information and substances are today, it is our opinion that players should be introduced to anti-doping rules already at cadet level. Education should start from the lowest levels of competition, including schools through physical education, and continue all the way to senior level, as every athlete is a potential national team player.” 

Photos © kolektiff images/Uros Hocevar/Anze Malovrh