Anti-doping

  • Anti-Doping
     
  • ADAMS
     
  • Document
    & Forms
  • Therapeutic Use
    Exemptions
  • IPC Regd.
    Testing Pool

The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code to prevent in the spirit of fair play, doping in sport for athletes with a disability and in conformity with the general principles of the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC). The IPC fully endorses the purposes of the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the WADC.

  • To protect the atheltes fundamental right to participate in doping free sport and thus promote health fairness and equality for athletes world wide.
  • To ensure harmonized, co-ordinated and effective anti-doping programmes and the international and national level with regards to detection, deterrence and prevention of doping.

New IPC Anti-Doping Code 2009

As WADA Stakeholder, IPC had to review its own Anti-Doping Code to be WADC-compliant by 1st January 2009. The major change will blend the result management process together with the new WADC provisions. This includes the athlete's right to promptly request the analysis of the B Sample, following notification of the initial review process outcome. In failing such a request however, the B Sample analysis may be deemed waived. The revised IPC Anti-Doping Code was aproved by the IPC Governing Board in September 2008. It is IPC's responsibility to require as a condition of recognition by the IPC that NPCs within the Paralympic Movement are in compliance with the WADC and adopt and implement anti-doping policies and rules for their events which conform with the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

Please find the new version of the IPC Anti-Doping Code below:

IPC Anti-Doping Code

Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) set forth in the IPC Anti-Doping Code and includes:

  • the presence of a prohibited substance - as per WADA Prohibited List in an athlete’s bodily specimen; 
  • use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method;
  • refusing or failing to submit to sample collection after notification;
  • violation of the requirements regarding athlete availability for out-of-competition testing;
  • tampering with any part of doping control;
  • possession of prohibited substances and methods;
  • trafficking in any prohibited substance or prohibited method;
  • administration or attempted administration of a prohibited substance or prohibited method to any athlete, or assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering up or any other type of complicity involving an anti-doping rule violation or any attempted violation.


Anti-Doping rules, like Competition rules, are sport rules governing the conditions under which sport is played. All participants (athletes and athlete support personnel) accept these rules as a condition of participation and are presumed to have agreed to comply with the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

The WADC Prohibited List is reviewed and updated from time to time by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Recognizing that there may be cases where athletes should be allowed to use prohibited substances on the list for therapeutic purposes. Exemptions may be sought from the IPC Therapeutic Use Exemptions Committee, provided that the medication is clinically appropriate and does not offer the athlete an advantage. This process is sport- and case-specific.

There is as much need for doping control in sport for athletes with a disability as there is in able-bodied sport. As the Paralympic Games continue to grow and gain in prestige, the temptation to enhance performance through the use of prohibited substances may well increase. It is the objective of the IPC that national testing of athletes with disabilities be integrated into national programs. The IPC will continue to co-ordinate testing at sanctioned events.

Major Changes of Anti-Doping Rules Effective as of 1st January 2009

In light of the new IPC Anti-Doping Code that will come into force on 1st January 2009, the IPC takes this opportunity to highlight the major changes:

Analysis of the B-sample 
The IPC harmonized its procedure for B-sample analysis with the WADC provisions. The process of internal appeal is replaced by the athlete's right to promptly request the analysis of the B-sample following notification of the outcome of the initial review process, or, failing such request, that the B-sample analysis may be deemed waived. 

Flexibility in Sanctions
Overall, revisions made in the new Code introduce a greater flexibility in the application of sanctions. Reduced sanctions are possible if the athlete can prove that the prohibited substance or method found in his/her body was not intended to enhance performance.

On the other hand, the revised Code provides for an increase of sanctions in doping cases involving aggravating circumstances. While the former Code allowed for a four-year ban for a first Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) only in cases of trafficking or administration of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method, the revised Code thus broadens the spectrum of ADRVs that can lead to a four-year ban for a first serious doping offence. 

Specified Substances 
All Prohibited Substances, except substances in the classes of anabolic agents and hormones and those stimulants and hormone antagonists and modulators so identified, shall be ‘Specified Substances’ for the purpose of more flexible sanctions. 

Atypical Findings (ATFs) 
Laboratories are directed to report the presence of a prohibited substance, which may also be produced endogenously, as an Atypical Finding (ATF), which is now subject to further investigation. The process of Initial Review will be initiated, and the athlete will be notified whether or not the ATF will be brought forward as an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF), and subsequently potential Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV). 

The strict liability has been maintained in the revised code. Strict liability means that each athlete is strictly liable for the substance 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 a bodily specimen, whether or not the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or was negligent or otherwise at fault.

An overview of all major changes can be found on theQ&A Code Revisions.

Education

The education of athletes, coaches and medical professionals is critical to the success of any anti-doping programme.  Below are a variety of resources to assist all in understanding the processes of doping control and the implications of doping in sport:   

Should you have any question or need further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact the IPC Anti-Doping Administration Manager at antidoping@paralympic.org.

ADAMS (Anti-Doping Administration & Management System)

Ensuring fair and clean competition is everyone's responsibility – Athletes, Coaches, National Paralympic Committees, International Federations, Governments, National Anti-Doping Organizations and World Organizations to name a few. To assist in this endeavour, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has developed a system to co-ordinate anti-doping activities to help athletes and stakeholders with their implementation of the World Anti-Doping Code.

Fully supported by the IPC, the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS) is a web-based clearing house system that simplifies the daily anti-doping activities of all those involved in anti-doping, including athletes. Its primary benefit is that it allows all anti-doping information to be stored in one location so that it can be easily shared with other organizations on a need-to-know basis.

There are four primary functions in which ADAMS addresses:

  1. Athlete Whereabouts
  2. Information Clearing House (Where all information is stored)
  3. Doping Control (Testing, Results Management)
  4. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)

For more information on ADAMS, please visit the official WADA website with its ADAMS Information.

Athlete Whereabouts Training Video for ADAMS

Please follow these instructions to download the training video:

  1. Click on Athlete Whereabouts Training Video for ADAMS
  2. Click Save
  3. Save the zipped file on your local hard drive
  4. Once Saved, open the Zipped file
  5. Click on Extract
  6. Choose where to Extract the files, a new folder would be preferable
  7. Once Extracted you will have two files in the folder: Athlete Whereabouts Training.htm and Athlete Whereabouts Training.swf
  8. Double click on the '.htm' file to play the video. It will launch in your default web browser.

ADAMS Athlete User Guide

To start using ADAMS, you will need a username and password. To request this or for further information, please contact the IPC Medical & Scientific Department by e-mail at whereabouts@paralympic.org or via telephone at +49-228-2097-130.

Documents & Forms

IPC Documents

Annual IPC Anti-Doping Programme Statistics

TUEs

Whereabouts

WADA

UNESCO Documents

Please note: Athletes, coaches, medical professionals and National Paralympic Commitees (NPCs) are advised to be familiar with the above documents.

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)

Some athletes may have illnesses or conditions that require them to take particular medications that may be prohibited in sport. Article 4.4 details all rules and regulations regarding Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs). TUEs are granted by an Anti-Doping Organization (such as the IPC) and provides approval to an athlete to take a needed medication to treat an illness or condition that is prohibited in sport under the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) Prohibited List (Prohibited List).

In sport, the term ‘strict liability' in anti-doping matters essentially means that it is the athlete's responsibility to ensure that anything he/she puts into his/her body is not in breach of anti-doping regulations. Therefore, athletes taking medication must ensure that the substance in the medication is not listed on the Prohibited List or in breach of the relevant International Federations (IF) anti-doping rules.

Please note that athletes are advised to treat the matter of TUEs very seriously and in all instances seek expert advice. Using a prohibited substance or prohibited method before a TUE Approval is similar to using a prohibited substance or method without authorization and this could constitute an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV).

Please find below information that may be able to assist an athlete and/or NPC in understanding the current rules surrounding the Therapeutic Use Exemption Process.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has a variety of information available on their website, specifically for athletes.

IPC Position Statement on the Use of Catheters

The IPC considers the catheter used by an athlete with need for self-catheterization as ‘ personal equipment'. Athletes might react adversely to different brands and models, potentially leading to infections and/or allergic reactions. Athletes therefore mainly use one particular type of catheter.

Within this perspective, and giving absolute priority to the athlete's health, the catheter used is the responsibility of the athlete.

In particular cases, e.g. Paralympic Games, the Doping Control Stations may be equipped with a number of sealed, sterile catheters, however this would never include all brands, sizes and/or materials. This must be regarded as a complimentary service offered to the athletes in such a particular competition.


For more information, please contact:

IPC Anti-Doping Administration Manager
Adenauerallee 212 - 214
53113 Bonn, Germany
Phone: +49-228-2097-130
Fax: +49-228-2097-209
E-mail: antidoping@paralympic.org

IPC Registered Testing Pool

New IPC Registered Testing Pool

At the occasion of the implementation of the new IPC Anti-Doping Code and the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) International Standard for Testing (IST) by 1 January 2009, the IPC revised its Registered Testing Pool (RTP). The RTP is a pool of top-level athletes in each sport. The purpose of an RTP is to implement an efficient Out-of-Competition Testing programme. Up to now, IPC had an IPC RTP in place for IPC Powerlifting, IPC Alpine Skiing and IPC Nordic Skiing. The IPC RTP is now extended to include athletes from all sports on the Paralympic programme (1 name list per sport).

The new IPC RTP is effective from the second quarter of 2009 (from 1 April 2009) onwards.

Athletes under the IPC Anti-Doping Code are required to provide the IPC with information about where they can be found for purposes of Out-of-Competition Testing. Repeated failure to provide this information, or repeated failure to be available for testing at the location(s) specified, will constitute an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) according to the IPC Anti-Doping Code. It is therefore of extreme importance that all athletes concerned fully understand the consequences of breaching the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

Registered Testing Pools

Whereabouts Information

Athletes included in the new IPC RTP are required to provide accurate, up-to-date whereabouts information to the IPC on a quarterly basis. Any athlete who fails to provide information or provides fraudulent information commits an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) under the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

Athletes must comply with the following whereabouts requirements:

  • For each day during the following quarter, the full address of the place where the Athlete will be residing (home, temporary lodgings, hotel, etc);
  • For each day during the following quarter, the name and address of each location where the Athlete will train, work or conduct any other regular activity as well as the usual time-frames for such regular activities;
  • For each day during the following quarter, one specific 60-minute time slot between 6 am and 11 pm each day where the Athlete will be available and accessible for testing at a specific location. This can be at the Athlete's training centre, work, home or any other specified location that is most convenient to the Athlete. If the Athlete's plans change so that they will no longer be at the specified location during the specified time slot, he/she (or delegate) must update the whereabouts information prior to that time slot;
  • The Athlete's competition schedule for the following quarter, including the name and address of each location where the Athlete is scheduled to compete during the quarter and the date(s) on which he/she is scheduled to compete at such location(s);
  • A complete mailing address where correspondence may be sent to the Athlete for formal notice purposes (if applicable);
  • Details of any disability of the Athlete that may affect the procedure to be followed in conducting a sample collection session;
  • Specific confirmation of the Athlete's consent to the sharing of his/her whereabouts with other organizations having the authority to test him/her.

It is the Athlete's strict liability to ensure that he/she provides all the information required accurately and in sufficient detail to enable the IPC or any other authorized entity to locate the Athlete on any given day in the quarter, including but not limited to during the 60-minute time slot specified for a particular day.

The IPC collects this information through WADA''s Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS allows the Athletes to enter the information directly and accurately in an easy, secured and convenient manner.

Should you be a member of the IPC RTP, you will need to have a user account to upload your whereabouts ionformation in ADAMS. Prior to creating a user account for you, please fill in the IPC Athlete Form for Use of ADAMS as well as the form to Delegate Responsibility to Third Party, if needed. Both forms can be found under theDocuments & Forms section. Once you have completed the appropriate form(s), please send your request toantidoping@paralympic.org and the IPC will provide you with a username and password.

Athletes can have their agent or another representative submit their whereabouts information if they wish to. In team sports, whereabouts information can be submitted by team officials on a collective basis as part of the team's activities. However, Athletes are ultimately responsible for their whereabouts. As a result, they cannot avoid responsibility by blaming their representative or the team for filing inaccurate information about their whereabouts or for not updating their whereabouts if they were not at the location specified by them during the 60-minute time-slot.

Following a number of questions in relation to the issue of athlete whereabouts requirements, WADA published a Q&A on Athlete Whereabouts Requirements. WADA also published Guidelines for Implementing an Effective Whereabouts Programme. Both documents can be found under the Documents & Forms section.

Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS)

The IPC's preferred method for providing whereabouts information is WADA's online whereabouts management system, which is part of the WADA's Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS allows you to enter your whereabouts information directly and accurately in an easy, secured and convenient manner.

For more information about how to submit your whereabouts information through ADAMS, please read the ADAMS Reference for Athletes that can be found under the Document & Forms section.

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Secretary General,
Paralympic Committee of India

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