The South African Institute for Drug Free Sports (SAIDS) was established as a statutory body and as the independent National Anti-Doping Organization for South Africa. It was established in order to monitor and eradicate the use of substances/ supplements in sports. Thus the Anti-doping Rules were enacted to preserve the “spirit of sport” which is referred to as a “celebration of the human spirit , body and mind”. Doping is thus seen as contrary to the spirit of sport.

Doping is seen as a big issue in South Africa and starts early as “school boy level” in school sports. SAIDS therefore introduced education programmes, which not only focus on athletes but also school governing bodies, parents and coaches. SAIDS has also highlighted the issue of accessing sport supplements at retail stores thereby creating the assumption that they are safe to consume.

In 2012 the world actually saw one of its biggest doping scandals in history when cyclist, Lance Armstrong, was accused of participating in a doping programme during his career and which was later confirmed by the US Anti Doping Agency.

According to SAIDS latest annual report South Africa has seen the highest drug cheats in Rugby and athletics. However, the South African running scene has also not gone untainted as Two Top 10 finishers in the 2015 Comrades Marathon face charges for doping offences.