Lieutenant Colonel Brenda Mumba is blazing a trail as she promotes drug-free sports as a Doping Control Officer.
The Zambian international is currently basking in joy after she was appointed as one of four Doping Control Officers set to represent the Africa Zone VI Regional Anti-Doping Organisation at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in June.
A former member of the Zambian national women’s chess team, one of Mumba’s biggest highlights as an athlete was when she represented her country at the 32nd edition of the World Chess Olympiad in Yerevan, Armenia.
Her success as an athlete saw her being appointed as Secretary of the National Sports Council of Zambia from 1991 to 1992.
Upon retirement from active sports, she joined the military and was invited to undertake her first doping control course and describes this opportunity as an ideal way she could contribute to sport.
Speaking with Tatenda Gondo, Mumba talks about her transition from being an athlete to a Doping Control Officer and shares some of the consequences of doping.
Brenda, thank you for chatting with us. You were recently appointed as one of four Doping Control Officers to represent Africa Zone VI Rado at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games how does that feel?
This is the APEX of my testing career and I am so excited to be given this rare opportunity to test at such a prestigious event.
May you indulge us with a brief history of Brenda Mumba. Your life journey that has culminated into this moment.
I was born on the 1st of June in 1973 and I did my junior and secondary education at Kalonga Secondary School in Kabwe and a part of my high school at Ashton Park School in Bristol England. Upon finishing my secondary education, I studied Hotel Management and Hotel French at the Diploma level before I completed my Bachelor of Arts in Hospitality Management. Currently, I am working as Director of Resettlement and Estates in Zambia National Service where I hold the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. I am also an International Doping Control Officer trained by the International Testing Agency (ITA) in October 2021.
What does a Doping Control Officer do?
A doping control officer is responsible for promoting drug-free sport and one of our main duties is that of collection of urine samples from athletes both during IN-competition events and in the training.
This role requires a great deal of sensitivity, tact and professionalism because it involves ensuring the integrity of the sample collection process, including witnessing the sample provision, dividing the sample into two bottles and sealing, thereafter maintain a robust chain of custody to transfer it to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) accredited laboratory for analysis in accordance with the international standard of testing and investigation.
Let me also highlight that being a Doping Control Officer is not a full-time role, we usually undertake these duties in our spare time, in addition to our day-to-day jobs.
What is the most exciting part about your job?
Part of the satisfaction and enjoyment comes from working as part of a team with people from a wide range of different professional backgrounds. It also avails one an opportunity to travel widely as you test at different international platforms.
Before you became a Doping Officer, were you involved in Sports in any capacity?
Oh yes, I used to play competitive sports. In 1987 I competed in Badminton and Athletics but soon realised that I performed better in chess. A decision had to be made and I took up chess and competed in various national and international competitions but the biggest highlight of my chess career was playing at the 32nd edition of the World Chess Olympiad with the Zambia National ladies team as the reigning National women’s champions at the time and the 1998 World Championship qualifiers in Johannesburg.
Because of this background, I was employed by the National Sports Council of Zambia immediately after I completed high and this developed in me an interest in sports-related work.
How was the transition from being an Athlete to a Doping Control Officer, how did this happen?
When I retired from active sports I joined the military and I remember I was invited to undertake a Doping Control Officer’s course by then Football Association of Zambia, General Secretary Mr Machacha Shepande, organised by the Africa Zone VI Regional Anti-doping organisation in Lesotho under the World Anti-Doping Agency and that is where my journey began.
The training sparked the fire, what would you say accelerated it and got you interested in Doping?
As a sports person, you always wish to compete on a true and fair platform which is drug-free and free of prohibited methods that enhance performance. Hence my belief that working as a Doping Officer allows me to contribute in my small way towards achieving that.
What are some of the challenges you face as a female Doping Officer and how do you tackle them?
Well, there aren’t many challenges but of course, there are times you encounter Athletes who don’t have much information about what we do and what is expected of them, so sometimes they tend to be hostile so we have to take our time and explain why we are testing them; their rights and responsibilities and the general process.
But nowadays most athletes are enlightened so work has been made a little bit easier.
What are some of the consequences of doping in sports?
Doping could spell the end of one’s playing career, reputation and prospects both on and off the field.
Some athletes want to find the competitive edge to help them go faster, train longer, recover quicker or be stronger and they start doping. Something that they can attain by eating well, good hydration, reliable recovery methods, measured training techniques and a whole lot of hard work. But some athletes decide to cross that ethical line by trying something that puts their health at serious risk.
The sanctions for anti-doping violations can include:
- Disqualification of results at an event, including forfeiture of medals
- A ban from all sport (competing, training or coaching) for up to four years or even life in repeat or most serious cases.
- Financial penalties
- Publication of your anti-doping violation
What should be done to encourage more women to take on unpopular but equally important positions in Sport, like being a Doping Officer?
I think opportunities for training, more ladies can be encouraged especially through their local National Anti-Doping Agencies to take up this noble job. They don’t necessarily need to be Doping Control Officers but there are many other roles they can play for example, Education Officers.
Photo 1 Caption: Lieutenant Colonel Brenda Mumba is blazing a trail as she promotes drug-free sports as a Doping Control Officer. Photo: Supplied
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