There were 1,826 samples collected by Sport Ireland in 2023, with 1,595 tests in total. One test encompasses all the samples that were collected for one athlete within that visit. To reflect the breadth of the programme Sport Ireland began in 2023 to report the number of samples collected, as well as the number of tests conducted. The figure of 1,826 is comprised of the number of urine, blood serum, blood Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) and Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples collected. Testing was carried out in 12 countries across 32 different sports.

In 2023, Sport Ireland’s Anti-Doping Unit (ADU) began collecting Dried Blood Spot (DBS) samples. DBS testing is an innovative testing method which collects just a few drops of blood from an athlete’s fingertip or upper arm and does not require temperature-controlled shipping to a WADA accredited anti-doping laboratory. A total of 116 DBS samples were collected in 2023. This is a complimentary testing method and does not replace the traditional urine and venous blood samples which remain the fundamental components of our testing programme.

Sport Ireland also launched the Medcheck website (replacing the Eirpharm database) in January 2023 where athletes can check the status of all pharmaceutical products purchased in the Republic of Ireland. In 2023 there were 16,333 searches on this site.