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13 May 2025
Andreas Graf, Head of Research & Development at Berlinger Special, recently attended the ITA Doping Control Officer (DCO) Foundation Training Program. The program, designed to establish an international benchmark for the professional foundation training of Doping Control Officers, equips graduates to work as DCOs and ensures they are proficient in the professional, procedural, and regulatory aspects of doping control in both in-competition and out-of-competition settings.
Reflecting on his participation, Andreas shared insights into how the experience deepened his understanding of the real-world application of Berlinger’s products:
“The motivation was for sure to see the whole process around our product. In the WADA ISTI (International Standard for Testing and Investigation), we need to dive into our product—that’s a requirement. But before, the notification process of an athlete. All this, was new for me, and it was very interesting to see how much paperwork or work DCOs and athletes have to do around the whole mission.”
Working closely with products like sample collection kits, Andreas was particularly struck by seeing them in action:
“An interesting topic for me was the part where our products are directly used. For us, this is the mission. But for the DCO and the athlete, the whole thing is the mission. When they use our urine collection vessel, pour the urine into our kits, close the kits—it’s interesting to see that when the kit is closed with our Berlinger-Click, this is a very important moment for the DCOs. They can relax a little because the sample is sealed, and that’s a huge step in the process.”
Despite his familiarity with the products, the responsibilities of a DCO brought new challenges:
“The handling of the product was something I was used to. I was way more nervous about getting the rights and responsibilities for the athletes correctly. A DCO has to have so many things in mind and be very precise—I was more nervous about that”
Andreas praised the high standard of the course and its international atmosphere:
“The whole level of the course starts with the coaches, who are very professional, very experienced DCOs. They have so many good stories around the mission. People came from everywhere in the world, and it made a good impression on me—it gives hope that the level worldwide in testing standards will be high.”
A memorable moment for Andreas was how trainers used relatable metaphors to make procedures accessible:
“The whole usability and the stories around our products—like, ‘open the box like a pizza box’. (…) If you explain it that way, it’s done, because everyone has opened a pizza box.”
Overall, the experience gave Andreas not only a deeper appreciation of the role of DCOs but also reinforced his passion for product development:
“It was very interesting to see what a DCO does. And, at the end, I’m a developer—I think I am going to stick to my job.”
