Athletics: SLADA develops mobile app to verify WADA-prohibited drugs list

Sri Lanka became the first South Asian country to create an Application (App) to monitor World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited drugs, which was revealed at the Sri Lanka Anti Doping Agency (SLADA), located at the Sugathadasa Stadium in Colombo. 

Through using this App, athletes, coaches, parents and anyone who guides sportsmen and women, and even gym instructors, can easily find the WADA-banned substances. 

Sri Lanka has had sportsmen/women testing positive in the past decade, with the winners at international events, disgraced for their 'ignorance' of the substances they have taken. 

The SLADA, headed by Professor Arjuna de Silva, has been striving to find a much needed solution for all the sportsmen/women. 

The creator of the App is Y.A.U. Medhawi, a newcomer to the sports arena in any capacity. 

Her initiative to afford SLADA vital information at its fingertips, is a noteworthy achievement. 

Under the guidance of SLADA Chairman Prof. Arjuna de Silva and Director General Dr. Seevalie Jayawickrama, she single-handedly created the mobile Application- Drug Reference Application (DR App). 

Through this mobile App, not only will SLADA provide direct and easy access for athletes, sports administrators, coaches and parents to explore the updated list of banned substances of WADA, it will enable Sri Lanka to join countries such as Australia, Switzerland, Denmark, German and Hong Kong, to make the implementation. 

"When I was recruited, one of the requirements made by Prof Arjuna and Dr. Seevalie was about developing an App, which SLADA launched in March this year. My field is Computer Studies for which I have a Degree from the University of Kelaniya. I liked the challenge and accepted it without hesitation," said Ms. Medhawi (28), who is IT Head at SLADA. 

"This was one of the major concerns of SLADA, as most athletes do not know the scientific names of banned substances. However, they consume energy products available in the market. Sometimes these banned substances are included in those products. Prof Arjuna and Dr. Seevalie were very eager to introduce an easy way for athletes to educate themselves," she explained. 

Annually, WADA releases a list of generic names of the banned substances every October 1, to be effective January 1 the following year. 

Before introduction of this mobile App, there was no way in Sri Lanka to detect or identify the WADA-banned substances consumed by the local athletes. 

"From the back end of the mobile App, whenever the WADA list is updated manually to the database, there will not be any delays experienced by the users. It will be updated in real time, so nothing will be missed by the athletes." 

"Development of this mobile app began in August last year, and I completed it by December. I was guided on the requirements by Prof Arjuna and Dr. Seevalie, and all ideas and innovations were done by me. It was tested in January and February and released in March for athletes, but we officially launched it last month and are beginning to get constructive feedback," an elated Medhawi stated. 

Currently she is in the process of developing a version of the DR App for Apple Phones, as what is accessible at present is developed for smart phones with Android. 

Soon as she accomplishes that task, Medhawi will switch her attention to develop an application that will enable internal circulation and documentations of SLADA, an easy task for its staff.