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What if an athlete could test positive for a banned substance through no fault of their own? As Wimbledon and the UEFA European Championships grace our TV screens currently, and with the 2024 Olympic Games set to begin in Paris, France at the end of July, The Analytical Zen Podcast turns its focus to the role of forensic toxicology in sports doping.

Join us as we delve into the fascinating and complex world of hair testing, discussing "the kissing defense," the "sex defense," and the challenges of cross-contamination for athletes. In recent years, several cases of drug transfer during intimate moments have been reported. This week's episode features Professor Pascal Kintz, widely recognized as the leading global authority on drugs in hair testing. He elaborates on the stringent criteria required to establish a defense, shedding light on the substances commonly involved and the inherent challenges of proving innocence.

Professor Kintz first graduated as a pharmacist from the University of Strasbourg in 1985. After a period of research in molecular pharmacology, he pursued his PhD on analytical methods for drugs of abuse at the Louis Pasteur University, Strasbourg.

Professor Kintz has held positions as Associate Professor of Legal Medicine (1990-2004) and Associate Director of the Institute of Legal Medicine of Strasbourg (1990-2004). He is a Past President of The International Association of Forensic Toxicologists (TIAFT) and the Society of Hair Testing (SoHT). Currently, he serves as a senior consultant in Forensic Toxicology, specifically in Drugs in Hair Testing, at the University of Strasbourg, and as CEO of X-Pertise Consulting (Mittelhausbergen, France). He has authored over 500 peer-reviewed papers, edited nine books in two languages on forensic toxicology, and is a regular guest speaker at scientific meetings and conferences worldwide.

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The opinions expressed by the guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Analytical Zen Podcast.