Everyone competing on the same basis is one of the key aspects of fairness in sport. When we go out and give our best, we want to know that the other competitors are also playing true.

At the top level, athletes will be given extensive advice by their National Governing Body (NGB) and other key sports organisations, such as the English Institute of Sport (EIS).

At age-group level, you need to know the rules, the procedures and your rights for yourself. Ignorance is not an accepted defence in any doping situation, and does not bring any reduction in the penalties.

Having just completed UK Anti-Doping’s (UKAD) Coach Clean qualification, I thought that I would put some useful links in this blog post. I am always happy to have a more detailed conversation with anyone as needed, and as a coach I can be your nominated representative to be with you if you are taken for testing during training, or at a competition.

The key authorities

The overall World Anti-Doping code is set by the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) headquartered in Canada. You can read the code here: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/what-we-do/the-code

There are eight International Standards, which cover:

1. Testing and Investigations (ISTI)
2. Laboratories (ISL)
3. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE)
4. Prohibited List (The List)
5. Protection of Privacy and Personal Information (ISPPPI)
6. Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS)
7. Education (ISE)
8. Results Management (ISRM)

There is also an Athlete’s Rights Act – which athletes should read:

https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/athlete_act_en.pdf

The UK authority is UK Anti-Doping https://www.ukad.org.uk/

What should you be doing?

Firstly, you need to know the rules. This includes understanding the Prohibited List. The List is published annually in January by WADA but substances can be added to the list at any time. WADA will always communicate any changes three months before they come into force. The List also specifies what is banned in-competition only and what is banned at all times. 

The default in-competition period is from 11:59pm the day before the athlete’s event.  Some substances are prohibited in particular sports only, so you should check what applies to your sport.

As an athlete your responsibilities are:

• Know the anti-doping rules
• Be available for testing (which can be any time)
• Take responsibility – there is strict liability
• Tell medical professionals you are an athlete and following the rules
• Tell UKAD and their International Federation of any Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) within the last 10 years
• Co-operate with investigations
• AND a new responsibility from 2021 – to disclose the identity of their Athlete Support Personnel (ASP) upon request from an Anti-Doping Organisation (ADO). ASPs include family members, coaches, physios and other support people.

3 crucial checks that you need to do:

1) Every time you have a prescribed medicine, you should check it – it could be banned, or you may need a Temporary Usage Exemption (TUE) which may need to be registered in advance. Check on this website:

https://www.globaldro.com/UK/search

Follow the rules on the site and keep a copy of the reference number of your check on the site.

Also download the ‘100% me’ Clean Sport app and use its medications function to record all medicines that you have taken.

2) Natural food is always best. If you feel that you need to use a supplement then you need to do a lot of careful research. Use the “ANARAC” approach – Assess Need, Assess Risk, Assess Consequences.

• Athletes must carry out thorough internet research on any supplement product prior to use (this is one of the defined anti-doping responsibilities)
• Only use a product that has been batch-tested
• The Informed-Sport programme is a risk-minimisation programme that batch tests a range of supplement products (not all banned substances are tested for but the risk is significantly reduced)

The Informed Sport app will allow you to scan the barcode of any supplement, or search by name or product type.

3) When you train and compete, ensure that you have your phone (with your records on the 100% me app) and photo ID with you. The testing protocols are quite straightforward and worth knowing:

https://www.ukad.org.uk/violations/testing-process

The key information is held in the 100% me app – so it is there on your phone, should you need it.

Overall

The key message is that this is something that requires your routine attention – any time you use a medicine or supplement, you need to be checking before and recording it.

This keeps our sport fair for everyone – and protects you from the bad outcomes that come from testing positive, being banned and the wider impact on your life and training.