The 2015 Code outlines ten Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs). Athletes, and Athlete Support Personnel (ASP), may receive a ban from sport if any of the following ADRVs are committed:
All ten ADRVs apply to athletes. Only the ADRVs in bold apply to ASP.
Under the 2015 Code, a minimum four-year ban from sport will apply to those who are found to be deliberately cheating and breaking the rules.
The 2015 Code has little sympathy for carelessness – for inadvertent doping, athletes are more likely to face a two-year ban from sport.
All athletes, coaches and athlete support personnel need to make sure they have sufficient anti-doping knowledge to avoid committing an ADRV and receiving a ban from sport.
All banned substances and methods in Code-compliant sports are outlined in the Prohibited List, which is updated at the beginning of every calendar year, but may also be updated throughout the year. The latest Prohibited List can be found on the WADA website [wada-ama.org]
Before taking any medication (whether from a doctor or bought over the counter) athletes must check to make sure it does not contain any banned substances. Medications can be checked online at Global DRO [www.globaldro.co.uk]. It is important to note that medications bought in one country may contain different ingredients to the same branded medication in another country.
Athletes are strongly advised to be very cautious if they choose to take any supplement such as vitamin tablets, energy drinks, or sport-nutrition formulas. This is because there is no guarantee that any supplement is free from banned substances.
All athletes are advised to:
before making a decision to use supplements.
However, supplement risks can be reduced by:
Visit the UKAD website for further information www.ukad.org.uk/supplements including information on the Informed Sport programme, which provides a batch-testing service for supplement products.
Athletes who need to use a banned substance or method to treat a genuine medical condition, and there are no reasonable alternatives, may have to apply for a TUE.
Athletes who have an existing TUE issued by UKAD do not need to reapply for a new TUE when becoming an International-Level Athlete. They should provide their International Federation with a copy of their TUE to ensure it is recognised.
Athletes listed under the ‘National’ category for their sport must apply for their TUE in advance of competing. The ‘National’ category for TUEs is defined by UKAD by sport and can be found on UKAD’s website. Only in an emergency situation or where there will be a severe impact on health should treatment begin without the necessary approval.
You can find out more about whether you need a TUE and how to apply for one (including emergency TUEs) on the UKAD website here.