Rights and Responsibilities

To make the global anti-doping system work, together with other athletes around the world, need to commit to the athlete’s anti-doping responsibilities.

What do you need to know?

The World Anti-Doping Code states the roles and responsibilities that athletes have in relation to anti-doping.

So, you must:

• Know and abide by the Anti-Doping Rules, policies and practices
• Be available for testing at all times
• Take responsibility for what you ingest or use
• Tell medical professionals that they should not use prohibited substances or methods, as per the WADA Prohibited List, and that any advice or treatment given to an athlete should not violate the Anti-Doping Rules
• Tell IBSA if you have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation within the last 10 years
• Co-operate in any doping investigations when asked to do so
• Disclose the identity of your support personnel upon request from an Anti-Doping Organisation

Athlete’s Anti-Doping Rights Act

The new Athletes’ Anti-Doping Rights Act promotes athlete rights within anti-doping and ensures they are clearly outlined, accessible, and universally applicable, so athletes have the right :

• To participate in doping-free competitions
• To receive timely and objective information on the asserted anti-doping rules violations
• Impartial examination of allegations of anti-doping rule violation
• To appeal with respect of the asserted anti-doping rules violation and imposed sanctions

e.g. an athlete has the right to receive anti-doping education.

What you “Athlete” should do? What are your responsibilities?

• Know your anti-doping rights and responsibilities
• Attend education sessions when they are made available
• Speak to other athletes and your support personnel about clean sport

What that means?

• You need to take anti-doping seriously and fully understand the principle of strict liability.
• Strict liability means that you are solely responsible for any banned substance you use, attempt to use, or is found in your system, regardless of how it got there or whether there was any intention to cheat.
• In anti-doping, not knowing is not an excuse!

And during Doping Control, you have certain Rights and Responsibilities too.

You have the right to:

• A representative;
• An interpreter, if available;
• Ask for additional information regarding the sample collection process and document any concerns;
• Request a delay in reporting to the doping control station for valid reasons providing you are chaperoned during the delay;
• Request to have at least 3 doping control kits to choose from;
• Request to have at least 3 sample collection sterilized vessels to choose from;
• Request modifications to the sample collection process.

You have the responsibility to:

• Remain within the sight of sample collection personnel throughout the doping control process;
• Produce identification;
• Comply with sample collection procedures;
• Report immediately to the doping control station for testing unless delayed for valid reasons;
• Maintain control of your sample until it is sealed.

And after the control:

• Request and attend the B sample analysis (in the case of an Adverse Analytical Finding); and
• 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.

What is an “Athlete Support Personnel”?

If you are a coach, trainer, medical doctor, physioterapist, parent, administrator of a sport organization or any other person involved with sport who helps athletes in their competitive life – play a vital role in ensuring that athletes are fulfilling their responsibility towards clean sport.

If you are an “Athlete Support Personnel”, your Rights and Responsibilities are

What do you need to know?

The World Anti-Doping Code states the roles and responsibilities that ASP have in relation to anti-doping. This means you must:

• Know and comply with the Anti-Doping Rules, policies and practices that apply to you as well as those that apply to the athletes you support
• Co-operate with the testing programme for athletes
• Use your influence on athletes positively to foster clean sport values and behaviours
• Tell IBSA and your National Federation if you have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation in the last 10 years
• Co-operate with any doping investigation when asked to do so
• Not use or possess any prohibited substance or prohibited method without a valid and justifiable reason

What that means for you?

• Anti-doping is complex and needs attention from all who are bound by the Anti-Doping Rules.
• Remember, you too could face a ban from sport, not just the athletes. This in most cases is career ending.
• Take your responsibilities towards anti-doping seriously and help those around you (practitioners and athletes) do the same.
• There is no sympathy for ignorance or carelessness in anti-doping. Make sure you are up to date with everything you need to know to protect you and your athletes.

What you should do?

• Take the opportunity to be educated on anti-doping matters either through IBSA, your National Governing Body, Sports Institution or Professional Association
• Have conversations within your sporting environment on anti-doping. Encourage regular engagement in clean sport activities and events.
• Familiarise yourself with the universal rights available to athletes within anti-doping, which are set out in the WADA Athletes’ Anti-Doping Rights Act

Athlete Support Personal are bound by the Anti-Doping Rules too. You need to be fully aware of what that means for you, and what you need to do!