Anti-Doping

Definition of supplements

Supplements include protein powders, vitamins, herbal remedies and products which claim, among other things, to assist weight loss, develop muscular strength, increase exercise-induced gains in muscle size, reduce skeletal muscle damage from exercise, improve aerobic exercise performance, and expedite recovery from exercise.  Among the most widely used are high protein drinks, branched-chain amino acids (BCAA), glutamine, arginine, essential fatty acids (EFAs), creatine, HMB, whey protein and ZMA.

Supplements come in a variety of forms, including tablets, capsules, gummies, and powders, as well as drinks and energy bars.

Use

Before using any supplement, it is important that athletes, their coaches and support personnel consider if they are necessary or not.

Risk

There are no guarantees that any supplement product is free from banned substances.  Athletes, their coaches and other support personnel must be fully aware of the risks of using a supplement, including the following;

• Supplements can contain banned substances
• Supplements may contain ingredients listed differently to how they appear on the Prohibited List
• In many countries the manufacturing and labelling of supplements may not follow strict rules.  Supplements might not be made with adequate quality control and their labels may not accurately list all of their ingredients which increases the risk of a supplement containing an undeclared substance that is prohibited
• Caution should be used when purchasing supplements, especially via the internet, since there’s an increased risk of fake supplement products

A positive test can have a significant negative effect on an athlete, such as;

• Athlete and/or teammates may be stripped of previous achievements
• Isolation from peers and sport
• Damaged relationships with friends and family
• Effects on emotional and psychological well-being
• Permanent damage to reputation as a consequence of media publicity
• Loss of standing, respect and credibility among peers and the wider community

As an athlete, you have certain roles and responsibilities. These include:

• You must know and comply with all “applicable anti-doping policies and rules.”
• You must take responsibility for what you “ingest,” meaning what you eat and drink and anything that may enter your body. The essential rule is this: if it is in your body, you are responsible for it. In legal terms, this is called “strict liability.”
• You must be available for sample collection.
• You must inform medical personnel that they are obligated not to give you prohibited substances or methods. You must also take responsibility to make sure that any medical treatment you receive does not violate the Code.
• You must cooperate with anti-doping organizations investigating anti-doping rule violations.
• For more details, see Article 21.1.

Athletes’ rights include (but are not limited to):

1. During the doping control
   • Bring a representative and where required (and available), an interpreter
   • Ask for additional information about the sample collection process
   • Request a delay in reporting to the doping control station for valid reasons (International Standard for Testing and Investigations Art. 5.4.4) and
   • Request modifications as an athlete with an impairment (if applicable)
2. Requesting and attending the B sample analysis (in the case of an Adverse Analytical Finding) and;
3. In the case of an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) being asserted, the athlete has the right to a fair hearing and the right to appeal the hearing decision

For more information:
https://www.wada-ama.org/sites/default/files/resources/files/wada-reference-guide-to-2015-code.pdf

The ‘spirit of sport’ based on the values of ethics, health and fair-play is undermined by doping and jeopardises the public perception of our sport and the future of our sport.

The principle of strict liability is applied in situations where urine/blood samples collected from an athlete have produced adverse analytical results.

It means that each athlete is strictly liable for the substances found in his or her bodily specimen, and that an anti-doping rule violation occurs whenever a prohibited substance (or its metabolites or markers) is found in bodily specimen, whether or not the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or was negligent or otherwise at fault.

WADA’s Speak Up Platform allows athletes, their support personnel and all others who may have information to share regarding a possible Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) to provide the information to WADA in a confidential manner if they choose.

Speak Up can also be used to report possible non-compliance by an Anti-Doping Organization (ADO) under the World Anti-Doping Code (Code) or any act or deed that could undermine global efforts for sport.

SPEAK UP PLATFORM:

https://speakup.wada-ama.org/frontpage

• Notification
  • The athlete is notified by a doping control officer (DCO) or chaperone that they have been selected for doping control (testing) and they are informed under which Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) authority they are being tested.
• Reporting to the Doping Control Station
  • The athlete must report to the doping control station immediately (although they may be excused for medal ceremonies etc. once they’ve checked in).
• Choosing sample collection vessel (urine sample) and/or blood collection kit (blood sample)
  • The athlete will choose a urine sample collection vessel from a selection made available by the doping control personnel.
  • If a blood sample is collected, the athlete will choose a blood collection kit from a selection made available by the doping control personnel.
• Providing a sample
  • The DCO or chaperone will witness the passing of the urine sample when the athlete is ready to provide it.
  • A blood collection officer (BCO) will draw blood from the athlete using two vials (which will become the A & B sample).
• Splitting of the sample
  • The athlete will divide their urine into the A and B bottles, saving a residual amount of urine in the sample collection vessel. The B sample affords the athlete the opportunity to have second analysis performed in the event their ‘A sample returns and adverse analytical finding (a ‘positive’ result)
  • If a blood sample is collected, the blood vials will be placed in the A and B blood sample collection bottles. Only one vial may be necessary if the blood sample is collected as part of an Athlete Biological Passport program.
• Sealing of the sample
  • The athlete will seal the A and B bottles.
• Measuring specific gravity (urine)
  • The DCO measures the specific gravity of the athlete’s urine to determine whether it meets laboratory standards. If the sample is too dilute the athlete will be asked to provide additional sample(s).
• Completing the Doping Control Form (DCF)
  • The athlete completes the DCF, either in paper or digital format, with the DCO. The athlete is asked to provide personal information, a list of substances or methods used, and any comments they may have related to the doping control process. The athlete receives a print or digital copy of the DCF.
• The sample is sent to the laboratory
  • The athlete’s sealed sample is secured and sent to a WADA-accredited laboratory. A blood sample collected as part of the ABP program may be analyzed by a WADA-approved laboratory. The laboratory copy of the DCF that accompanies the sample is anonymized, indicating only the sample bottle number, sport and the athlete’s gender.

The fundamental principle of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) is to monitor selected biological variables over time that indirectly reveal the effects of doping, rather than attempting to detect the doping substance or method itself.

The International Federation of Cheerleading integrates the ABP into the larger framework of its anti-doping program in order to:

• Identify athletes requiring further attention through intelligent and timely interpretation of Passport data. The ABP provides valuable information that can be used to direct anti-doping activities such as Target Testing or investigations more effectively; and
• Pursue possible Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) in accordance with Article 2.2 (Use or attempted use by an athlete of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method) of the World Anti-Doping Code.

International-level Athletes included in the IFC Registered Testing Pool are required to provide whereabouts information. It is the responsibility of each Athlete in the IFC Registered Testing Pool to:

(a) advise IFC of his or her whereabouts on a quarterly basis; update that information as necessary so that it remains accurate and complete at all times.
(b) make himself or herself available for Testing at such whereabouts.

Athletes are obliged to provide whereabouts information via the secure platform called ADAMS. The Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) is a management tool for data entry, storage, sharing, and reporting designed to assist stakeholders and WADA in their anti-doping operations.