Thailand Warns Athletes on Banned Substances Before Asian Games

Thailand's Sports Authority (SAT) is warning Thai athletes to exercise caution regarding banned substances before competing in the 20th Asian Games. The organization is conducting ongoing educational training sessions for sports federations and athletes to raise awareness and promote preventive measures from the start rather than addressing violations afterward.

Dr. Kongsakd Yodmanee, director-general of SAT, stated that this year the authority has been providing continuous education on banned substances to all sports federations and athletes ahead of various sporting events. He emphasized that prevention is far better than correction, as this is critically important on the international sports stage. The SAT director expressed confidence that Thai athletes will face no banned substance issues during the Asian Games, given that all parties have implemented stringent preventive measures. He acknowledged that while unintentional technical violations may occur—such as through food or medication consumption—no athlete would intentionally violate the rules.

The SAT has consistently stressed the importance of vigilance regarding banned substances, implementing educational outreach regularly in line with standards set by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA officials will conduct random doping tests throughout the competition. Dr. Kongsakd concluded by confirming that Thais will be able to watch the 20th Asian Games for free, with live broadcasts on T SPORTS 7 as the primary channel and additional broadcasts through partner networks. The SAT invites Thai sports fans to follow along and cheer on Thai athletes throughout the competition.