VALUES
Clean Athletics at British Athletics protects the spirit of the sport from being undermined by doping, and to establish an environment which promotes and reinforces doping-free behaviour among participants –supporting athletes who wish to compete clean. WADA identifies that “the spirit of sport” is the celebration of the human spirit, body and mind, and is characterised by the following values:
• Ethics, fair play and honesty.
• Health.
• Excellence in performance.
• Character and education.
• Fun and joy.
• Teamwork.
• Dedication and commitment.
• Respect for rules and laws.
• Respect for self and other participants.
• Courage.
• Community and solidarity.
STRICT LIABILITY
The world of Clean Athletics and anti-doping is based on the principle of ‘strict liability’. It’s important that you, as an athlete, know what that means. According to UKAD, ‘strict liability’ means that an athlete is solely responsible for any prohibited substance you use, attempt to use, or that is found in your system, regardless of how it got there or whether there was an intention to cheat or not.
GOVERNANCE
• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999. Its key activities include: scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code.
• WADA’s World Anti-Doping Code is the central document which harmonises anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organisations and among public authorities around the world. Accompanying the Code are the International Standards which aim to foster consistency among anti-doping organisations. • The Code came into force on 1 January, 2004, has been revised twice since then (2009 and 2015) and will be revised again in 2021. It is based on 3 key areas: the spirit of sport, protecting the health of athletes, and prohibiting artificial performance enhancement.
• In the UK, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is the national anti-doping organisation. UKAD is responsible for ensuring sports bodies in the UK are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code through implementation and management of the UK’s national anti-doping policy.
• UKAD’s functions include a prevention-through-education programme, intelligence-led athlete testing across more than 40 Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports, investigations and results management authority for the determination of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs)
PROHIBITED LIST
Since 2004, and as mandated by the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA has published an annual List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. The List identifies the substances and methods prohibited in and out of competition, and in particular sports. The substances and methods on the list are classified by different categories (e.g. steroids, stimulants, gene doping). The List is updated at least once a year. The List for the following year is published on 1 October. This allows athletes and support personnel time to familiarise themselves with it, before it becomes effective on 1 January. WADA can make additional changes to the List throughout the year if required. Any updates will be publicised extensively by WADA, UKAD and British Athletics. It is good practice to check in regularly throughout the year. The current List can be found on the Prohibited List | World Anti Doping Agency (wada-ama.org)
CHECKING MEDICATION
Rember to check over-the-counter medication, i.e. medication purchased for cold & flu.
• Check it against the Prohibited List before taking it.
• Check it on the Global DRO website.
Global DRO website
The Global Drug Reference Online or Global DRO website allows you to check the status of medications in certain countries, including the UK. It is only for checking the status of registered medications. Only certain countries have signed up to Global DRO and these countries are listed on the website Global DRO - Home
Always SAVE a copy of the result – either a printout, screenshot or a copy of the unique reference number. If you use Global DRO you will be presented with the status of the medication both ‘in competition’ and ‘out of competition’. ‘in competition’? Is it during the season? In a competition week? On a competition day? Or just when they are actually competing? There can be some exceptions, particularly at major championships, but unless the event rules state differently, an athlete is in competition from 11:59pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to compete through to the end of such competition and the sample collection process related to such competition. Any test conducted in that time is considered an ‘in competition’ test. Everything else is ‘out of competition’. Always check the event rules.
N.B. If seeing a GP advise your GP you are an athlete and that you are subject to the Prohibited List. A medication prescribed by a doctor may contain prohibited substances. Athletes could check the status of the proposed medication on Global DRO whilst with their GP. It could save a potential return appointment. Some examples not prohibited:
Clean Athletics at British Athletics protects the spirit of the sport from being undermined by doping, and to establish an environment which promotes and reinforces doping-free behaviour among participants –supporting athletes who wish to compete clean. WADA identifies that “the spirit of sport” is the celebration of the human spirit, body and mind, and is characterised by the following values:
• Ethics, fair play and honesty.
• Health.
• Excellence in performance.
• Character and education.
• Fun and joy.
• Teamwork.
• Dedication and commitment.
• Respect for rules and laws.
• Respect for self and other participants.
• Courage.
• Community and solidarity.
STRICT LIABILITY
The world of Clean Athletics and anti-doping is based on the principle of ‘strict liability’. It’s important that you, as an athlete, know what that means. According to UKAD, ‘strict liability’ means that an athlete is solely responsible for any prohibited substance you use, attempt to use, or that is found in your system, regardless of how it got there or whether there was an intention to cheat or not.
GOVERNANCE
• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999. Its key activities include: scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code.
• WADA’s World Anti-Doping Code is the central document which harmonises anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organisations and among public authorities around the world. Accompanying the Code are the International Standards which aim to foster consistency among anti-doping organisations. • The Code came into force on 1 January, 2004, has been revised twice since then (2009 and 2015) and will be revised again in 2021. It is based on 3 key areas: the spirit of sport, protecting the health of athletes, and prohibiting artificial performance enhancement.
• In the UK, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) is the national anti-doping organisation. UKAD is responsible for ensuring sports bodies in the UK are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code through implementation and management of the UK’s national anti-doping policy.
• UKAD’s functions include a prevention-through-education programme, intelligence-led athlete testing across more than 40 Olympic, Paralympic and professional sports, investigations and results management authority for the determination of Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs)
PROHIBITED LIST
Since 2004, and as mandated by the World Anti-Doping Code, WADA has published an annual List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. The List identifies the substances and methods prohibited in and out of competition, and in particular sports. The substances and methods on the list are classified by different categories (e.g. steroids, stimulants, gene doping). The List is updated at least once a year. The List for the following year is published on 1 October. This allows athletes and support personnel time to familiarise themselves with it, before it becomes effective on 1 January. WADA can make additional changes to the List throughout the year if required. Any updates will be publicised extensively by WADA, UKAD and British Athletics. It is good practice to check in regularly throughout the year. The current List can be found on the Prohibited List | World Anti Doping Agency (wada-ama.org)
CHECKING MEDICATION
Rember to check over-the-counter medication, i.e. medication purchased for cold & flu.
• Check it against the Prohibited List before taking it.
• Check it on the Global DRO website.
Global DRO website
The Global Drug Reference Online or Global DRO website allows you to check the status of medications in certain countries, including the UK. It is only for checking the status of registered medications. Only certain countries have signed up to Global DRO and these countries are listed on the website Global DRO - Home
Always SAVE a copy of the result – either a printout, screenshot or a copy of the unique reference number. If you use Global DRO you will be presented with the status of the medication both ‘in competition’ and ‘out of competition’. ‘in competition’? Is it during the season? In a competition week? On a competition day? Or just when they are actually competing? There can be some exceptions, particularly at major championships, but unless the event rules state differently, an athlete is in competition from 11:59pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to compete through to the end of such competition and the sample collection process related to such competition. Any test conducted in that time is considered an ‘in competition’ test. Everything else is ‘out of competition’. Always check the event rules.
N.B. If seeing a GP advise your GP you are an athlete and that you are subject to the Prohibited List. A medication prescribed by a doctor may contain prohibited substances. Athletes could check the status of the proposed medication on Global DRO whilst with their GP. It could save a potential return appointment. Some examples not prohibited:
Prohibited
In circumstances where this is the ONLY medical treatment available, consider if this would meet the criteria for a successful application for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)
In circumstances where this is the ONLY medical treatment available, consider if this would meet the criteria for a successful application for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)
Conditional
In the case of a conditional result, the athlete will need to read, understand and comply with the conditions.
In the case of a conditional result, the athlete will need to read, understand and comply with the conditions.
THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION (TUE)
A TUE can ONLY be obtained for a medication or method of treatment for a legitimate medical condition. If an athlete’s medication is prohibited, then the first course of action is to ask the prescribing doctor if there are any alternative medications or treatments that are not prohibited. If there are no permitted alternatives, then the athlete will need to find out if they need a TUE in advance, or if a retroactive TUE is applicable for them. TUE guidance is available. The UK Anti-Doping website has some great guidance and the Clean Athletics Team at British Athletics. If the athlete finds that they do need to make an application, advise them to contact the British Athletics Clean Athletics Department, who will be happy to offer assistance and guidance in completing the application. It is really important that the athlete makes contact and begins the process as soon as possible as it can take some time for a TUE application to be considered. Appropriate medical evidence must be provided to support the application
SUPPLEMENTS
In terms of our sport, a supplement is something that is consumed to enhance the diet of athletes. Vitamins and minerals, sports drinks, probiotics, protein bars and powders, creatine, and pre-workout products are all examples of supplements, and there are many more. As a governing body we would strongly advocate a ‘food first’ approach to an athlete’s diet. As the regulation around supplement production is not as stringent or consistent as that surrounding the production of medicines, there is ALWAYS a risk associated with their use. Contamination, ingredient mislabelling, use of alternative names for ingredients, counterfeit and fake products are among the risks associated with the use of supplements.
ANARAC UK Anti-Doping advises that athletes should exercise caution when contemplating the use of supplements, and that they should follow the A.N.A.R.A.C guidance. Assess the Need, Assess the Risk, Assess the Consequences. Athletes should remember that there can be no 100% guarantee that any supplement free of prohibited substances. Athletes should also seek the guidance of a nutritionist from the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register.
If a supplement has a label on it saying that it’s ‘approved by WADA or UKAD’ then it should be avoided and reported. Neither organisation approves any products.
British Athletics has a Supplements Policy, the link for this can be found in the resources tab. Read the policy summary.
1. Assess the nutritional need – diet and hydration should be optimal before supplement use is considered.
2. Strict liability applies here. There can be no 100% guarantee that supplements are free of prohibited substances and liability rests with the athlete.
If the athlete decides to use a supplement, then British Athletics would advise that, to minimise the risk as much as possible, only products that are part of the Informed Sport programme should be used.
INFORMED-SPORT
The Informed-Sport programme is a quality assurance scheme for sports nutrition products. The programme certifies that every batch of a supplement product and/or raw material that bears the Informed-Sport logo has been tested for banned substances by LGC’s sports anti-doping laboratory – LGC are a world-renowned sports doping control and research laboratory. Athletes are advised that if they use a supplement that is part of the programme, they should keep a record of their search on the site.
Independent Supplement Testing | INFORMED (wetestyoutrust.com)
TESTING
Any athlete can be tested at any time, in or out of competition
Anti-Doping Testing Procedures - UKA Site (vimeo.com)
REPORT DOPING IN SPORT
If you have any concerns you should make them known.
UKAD’s ‘Report Doping In Sport’ can be accessed in a number of ways:
Call anonymously on: 08000322332.
Message a UKAD Intelligence Specialist directly on: WhatsApp on +44 (0)7587 634711.
Email: [email protected]
Submit a secure online form: UKAD | Crimestoppers (theiline.co.uk)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) also have a online reporting: wada - Home (wada-ama.org)
Clean Athletics | UK Athletics
A TUE can ONLY be obtained for a medication or method of treatment for a legitimate medical condition. If an athlete’s medication is prohibited, then the first course of action is to ask the prescribing doctor if there are any alternative medications or treatments that are not prohibited. If there are no permitted alternatives, then the athlete will need to find out if they need a TUE in advance, or if a retroactive TUE is applicable for them. TUE guidance is available. The UK Anti-Doping website has some great guidance and the Clean Athletics Team at British Athletics. If the athlete finds that they do need to make an application, advise them to contact the British Athletics Clean Athletics Department, who will be happy to offer assistance and guidance in completing the application. It is really important that the athlete makes contact and begins the process as soon as possible as it can take some time for a TUE application to be considered. Appropriate medical evidence must be provided to support the application
SUPPLEMENTS
In terms of our sport, a supplement is something that is consumed to enhance the diet of athletes. Vitamins and minerals, sports drinks, probiotics, protein bars and powders, creatine, and pre-workout products are all examples of supplements, and there are many more. As a governing body we would strongly advocate a ‘food first’ approach to an athlete’s diet. As the regulation around supplement production is not as stringent or consistent as that surrounding the production of medicines, there is ALWAYS a risk associated with their use. Contamination, ingredient mislabelling, use of alternative names for ingredients, counterfeit and fake products are among the risks associated with the use of supplements.
ANARAC UK Anti-Doping advises that athletes should exercise caution when contemplating the use of supplements, and that they should follow the A.N.A.R.A.C guidance. Assess the Need, Assess the Risk, Assess the Consequences. Athletes should remember that there can be no 100% guarantee that any supplement free of prohibited substances. Athletes should also seek the guidance of a nutritionist from the Sport and Exercise Nutrition Register.
If a supplement has a label on it saying that it’s ‘approved by WADA or UKAD’ then it should be avoided and reported. Neither organisation approves any products.
British Athletics has a Supplements Policy, the link for this can be found in the resources tab. Read the policy summary.
1. Assess the nutritional need – diet and hydration should be optimal before supplement use is considered.
2. Strict liability applies here. There can be no 100% guarantee that supplements are free of prohibited substances and liability rests with the athlete.
If the athlete decides to use a supplement, then British Athletics would advise that, to minimise the risk as much as possible, only products that are part of the Informed Sport programme should be used.
INFORMED-SPORT
The Informed-Sport programme is a quality assurance scheme for sports nutrition products. The programme certifies that every batch of a supplement product and/or raw material that bears the Informed-Sport logo has been tested for banned substances by LGC’s sports anti-doping laboratory – LGC are a world-renowned sports doping control and research laboratory. Athletes are advised that if they use a supplement that is part of the programme, they should keep a record of their search on the site.
Independent Supplement Testing | INFORMED (wetestyoutrust.com)
TESTING
Any athlete can be tested at any time, in or out of competition
Anti-Doping Testing Procedures - UKA Site (vimeo.com)
REPORT DOPING IN SPORT
If you have any concerns you should make them known.
UKAD’s ‘Report Doping In Sport’ can be accessed in a number of ways:
Call anonymously on: 08000322332.
Message a UKAD Intelligence Specialist directly on: WhatsApp on +44 (0)7587 634711.
Email: [email protected]
Submit a secure online form: UKAD | Crimestoppers (theiline.co.uk)
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) also have a online reporting: wada - Home (wada-ama.org)
Clean Athletics | UK Athletics
