ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATIONS

Under the World Anti-Doping Code there are 11 possible anti-doping rule violations.
1. PRESENCE OF A PROHIBITED SUBSTANCE OR ITS METABOLITES OR
MARKERS IN AN ATHLETE’S SAMPLE.
We test for the presence of substances, drugs and medications listed on the prohibited
list. We also tests for markers or other chemicals that indicate a prohibited substance
has been used.

It is each athlete’s personal responsibility to ensure that no prohibited substance enters

his or her body. Athletes are responsible for any prohibited substance found in their
sample.

A positive test is enough to establish a ‘Presence’ anti-doping rule violation. It is not

necessary to show that an athlete:

 had intent
 was at fault
 was negligent
 knowingly used a prohibited substance.

More information on testing procedures.

ON THIS PAGE

 Testing
 Testing pools (who can be tested)
 How do you get in the Registered Testing Pool or National Testing Pool?
 Domestic Testing Pool athletes
 Athlete rights
 Athlete responsibilities
 Results management
 Been tested and have feedback

TESTING
A Sport Integrity Australia official (or an accredited official acting on behalf of Sport
Integrity Australia) may require you to provide a sample at any time and at any place.

An athlete may commit and Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and may receive a
sanction for evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection during or after
they are notified. The penalty for evading, refusing or failing to provide a sample upon a
valid request may be the same as providing a sample that contains a prohibited
substance.

Our doping control program complies with the following:

  World-Anti-Doping Code
 International Standard for Testing and Investigation (ISTI)
 Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020
 Sport Integrity Australia Regulations 2020 including the National Anti-Doping (NAD)
scheme.

We can test either in-competition or out-of-competition. We can test at an athlete’s

training venue or home address. We can test with No Advance Notice and sample
collection can include the collection of urine, blood or both.

TESTING PROCESS

WHAT HAPPEN TO MY SAMPLE?

Every sample you provide is collected, analysed and investigated according to

international rules set out in the World Anti-Doping Code. These rules are designed to
protect your rights, and ensure the process is the same no matter where you are tested
in the world. See the 'What happens to my sample?' to explore the journey your sample
takes from collection to storage.

WHAT HAPPENS TO MY SAMPLE?

TESTING POOLS (WHO CAN BE TESTED)

Sport Integrity Australia has 3 categories of Testing Pools:

1. Registered Testing Pool (RTP)

2. National Testing Pool (NTP)
3. Domestic Testing Pool (DTP)

Athletes in the RTP, NTP and DTP may be subject to both in-competition and out-of-
competition sample collection. Any other athlete who meets the definition of 'athlete'
under the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020 and Sport Integrity Australia Regulations
2020, may also be subject to testing.

Sport Integrity Australia is the final decision maker in placing athletes in Testing Pools.
Consideration for inclusion in Testing Pools is in accordance with the International
Standard for Testing and Investigations as published by the World Anti-Doping Agency
(WADA).

We do not disclose the reasons for including a particular athlete in a RTP, NTP or DTP
as it may affect the effectiveness of the doping control program.
HOW DO YOU GET IN THE REGISTERED TESTING
POOL OR NATIONAL TESTING POOL?
The decision by Sport Integrity Australia, a national sporting organisation, or
International Federation to include an athlete in a Registered Testing Pool or National
Testing Pool is based on a number of factors. These may include:

 Athletes identified by Sport Integrity Australia and/or National Sporting Organisation for
inclusion.
 An athlete’s sport performance history (including sudden performance improvement).
 Athletes moving from an International Federation RTP.
 Athletes who retired while in a RTP or NTP and wish to return to competition.
 Injury or return from injury or any period of inactivity from other causes.
 Consistent inaccurate whereabouts information.
 Athlete reinstatement after a Period of Ineligibility (i.e. sanctioned athlete).
 Athletes who frequently move from one location to another.
 Physical demands of sport and possible performance enhancing benefits that doping
may elicit.
 Athletes who fail to comply with Testing Pool requirements.
 Sport Integrity Australia Intelligence information (i.e absence from expected competition,
science data, reliable information from a third party, etc.).
 National teams/squads.
 Training periods and competition season.
 Athletes who are serving Periods of Ineligibility, or provisional suspensions as a
consequence of possible anti-doping rule violations.
 Subject to agreement from time to time with the relevant International Federation.

DOMESTIC TESTING POOL ATHLETES

Sport Integrity Australia bases the decision to include an athlete in the DTP on a
number of factors relating to an athlete and the sport.

The DTP mostly contains athletes who are in national senior teams or squads (or the
equivalent level, depending on the structure of the sport).

Other factors for inclusion in the DTP include:

 Elite junior-level athletes on the cusp of senior competition.

 Athletes who meet one or more of the factors for the RTP/NTP inclusion, but are not
included on these testing pools.
Information on retirement and reinstatement can be found on the whereabouts page.

ATHLETE RIGHTS
Once an athlete has been requested to undergo sample collection, the athlete has the
right to:
  see the identification of the Doping Control Officer
 ask for additional information about the sample collection process
 be informed of the authority under which the sample collection is to be conducted
 be informed of the type of sample collection and any conditions that need to be adhered
to prior to the sample collection
 hydrate (unless the sample provided does not meet the requirement for suitable specific
gravity for analysis)
 have a representative present
 have an interpreter, if available
 request modifications if the athlete has an impairment
 be informed of their rights and responsibilities
 document any concerns about the process
 receive a copy of the records of the sample collection session
 request a delay in reporting to the doping control station for valid reasons.

A valid delay for In-Competition testing can include:

 performing a warm down

 competing in further competitions
 fulfilment of media commitments
 participating in a presentation ceremony
 obtaining necessary medical treatment
 obtaining photo identification
 locating a representative and/or interpreter
 any other reasonable circumstances as approved by the Doping Control Officer.

A valid delay for Out-of-Competition testing can include:

 locating a representative
 completing a training session
 receiving necessary medical treatment
 obtaining photo identification
 any other reasonable circumstances as approved by the Doping Control Officer.

A Doping Control Officer may reject any of these athlete rights if an athlete cannot be
chaperoned throughout the whole process. This is important to ensure the integrity of
the process is maintained.

ATHLETE RESPONSIBILITIES
Once an athlete has been requested to undergo sample collection, the athlete has a
responsibility to:

 remain within direct observation of the Doping Control Officer or Chaperone at all times
from the point of notification until the completion of the sample collection procedure
 provide their first sample for collection
 produce appropriate identification
 comply with the directions of the Doping Control Officer and Chaperone during the
sample collection session
  report immediately for sample collection, unless there is a valid reason for a delay.

RESULTS MANAGEMENT
We may be advised by a WADA-accredited laboratory that an athlete's ‘A’ sample
has recorded an adverse analytical finding. This could be the presence of a
prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers, or evidence of use of a
prohibited method on the WADA Prohibited List.

If a review does not show that the athlete has an applicable Therapeutic Use Exemption
(TUE) or is entitled to a TUE then we will notify the athlete.

If the athlete's ‘A’ sample, whether urine or blood (where an ‘A’ and ‘B’ sample
were collected) returns an adverse analytical finding, the athlete will have the right to
have the ‘B’ sample analysed to confirm the result.

If the athlete's ‘A’ sample returns an adverse analytical finding and the athlete has
waived their right to have the ‘B’ sample analysed, Sport Integrity Australia can elect to
analyse the ‘B’ sample.

We collect urine and blood samples in accordance with WADA’s Athlete Biological
Passport Guidelines. If, following the review of an athlete’s profile, we consider further
investigations are required, we may contact the athlete for more information.

We can store samples in a deep freeze facility for up to ten years. We can
retrospectively analyse the samples to detect prohibited substances and methods, and
enforce sanctions against athletes.

BEEN TESTED AND HAVE FEEDBACK

If you've been tested by Sport Integrity Australia and want to pass on feedback about
your testing experience, fill in our online Anti-Doping Testing Feedback form.

GO TO FEEDBACK FORM

2. USE OR ATTEMPTED USE OF A PROHIBITED SUBSTANCE OR PROHIBITED

METHOD.
We have the power to investigate the possible use or attempted use of prohibited
substances or prohibited methods.
 An athlete may use or attempt to use a prohibited substance or method and not get
caught through the testing program. If we find enough evidence, we can still sanction
them.

A ‘Use or Attempted Use’ anti-doping rule violation can be established by any reliable
means, such as:

 admissions
 witness statements
 documentary evidence
 data or other analytical information.

Check your substances

3. EVADING, REFUSING OR FAILING TO SUBMIT TO SAMPLE COLLECTION.

If an athlete refuses or fails to submit to testing without compelling justification, they can
be sanctioned. If an athlete evades testing, they can also be sanctioned.

An athlete cannot deliberately avoid being tested once they are notified.

The sanction for this can be just as serious as if an athlete tested positive for a
prohibited substance.

4. WHEREABOUTS FAILURES—THREE STRIKES RULE

Athletes who are part of the registered testing pool need to let us know where they are
going to be, at specific times. This is so we can perform testing with no advanced
notice.

If athletes in the registered testing pool do not provide current and accurate
whereabouts information, they may incur a declaration of a missed test, or a filing
failure. This is sometimes called a ‘strike’.

If an athlete gets 3 strikes in a 12 month period, this is an anti-doping rule violation and
the athlete can be sanctioned.

More information on whereabouts.

 About Athlete Whereabouts

 Helping you with your whereabouts
 Need to provide whereabouts
ABOUT ATHLETE WHEREABOUTS
The World Anti-Doping Code and the Sport Integrity Australia Regulations 2020 sets out
our National Anti-Doping scheme.

Under this scheme, Australian athletes in our Registered Testing Pool must give us
location (‘whereabouts’) details to help with no-advance notice out-of-competition
testing.

No-advance notice testing makes it harder for athletes to mask using a prohibited
substance before sample collection. It makes it harder to time the use of a prohibited
substance so that its presence is not detectable at the time of sample collection.

If you are an athlete, we need to know where you are so we can operate an effective
no-advance notice out-of-competition testing program. Complying with whereabouts
requirements is crucial. Three non-compliances—filing failures or missed tests—within a
12-month period may constitute an anti-doping rule violation.

HELPING YOU WITH YOUR WHEREABOUTS

When you are a Registered Testing Pool athlete or an athlete's authorised
representative (see 'Delegating Whereabouts' in Resources), we help you meet your
obligations with these services:

 online access to the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System

(ADAMS)
 phone and email support
 induction training
 reminder letters, calls, emails and text messages alerting you to quarterly
whereabouts due dates
 updates to national sporting organisations on the compliance levels of Registered
Testing Pool athletes in their sport.

NEED TO PROVIDE WHEREABOUTS

More information on whereabouts is available in the Resources section of this website.

5. TAMPERING OR ATTEMPTED TAMPERING.

Any attempt to interfere in the Results Management process in any way can lead to
sanctions.

Tampering includes:

 intentionally interfering or attempting to interfere with a doping control official

  providing fraudulent information to an anti-doping organisation
 intimidating or attempting to intimidate a potential witness.

Some examples of tampering include:

 altering identification numbers on a doping control form during testing

 breaking the bottle at the time of sample analysis
 altering a sample by adding a foreign substance
 giving a false statement, evidence or documents in an anti-doping investigation.

6. POSSESSION OF PROHIBITED SUBSTANCES AND PROHIBITED METHODS.

Athletes and support persons can be sanctioned for possessing prohibited substances
or methods. This is the case even if they have not taken the prohibited substance or
used the prohibited method.

If an athlete needs to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method for health
reasons, they should apply for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE).

More information on TUEs.

THIS PAGE

 What is a Therapeutic Use Exemption?

 Do you need a Therapeutic Use Exemption?
 Are you eligible for an in-advance Therapeutic Use Exemption?
 Retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption
 Apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption

WHAT IS A THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION?

Athletes may at times need to use a prohibited medication and/or method to treat a
legitimate medical condition. A Therapeutic Use Exemption is an exemption that allows
an athlete to use, for therapeutic purposes only, an otherwise prohibited substance or
method (of administering a substance).

Therapeutic Use Exemptions are administered by the Australian Sports Drug Medical
Advisory Committee (ASDMAC). Find out more about ASDMAC.

If an athlete or their doctor has a question regarding the status of a substance, they
should check the substance on the GlobalDRO website, or call +61 2 6222 4283.
Under the World Anti-Doping Code–International Standard-Therapeutic Use
Exemptions (2021) an athlete may be granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption if (and only
if) they can show, on the balance of probabilities, that each of the following conditions
are met:

 The prohibited substance or method is needed to treat a diagnosed medical condition

supported by relevant clinical evidence.
 The therapeutic use of the prohibited substance or method will not, on the balance of
probabilities, produce any additional enhancement of performance beyond what might
be anticipated by a return to the athlete’s normal state of health following the treatment
of the medical condition.
 The prohibited substance or method is an indicated treatment for the medical condition,
and there is no reasonable permitted therapeutic alternative.
 The necessity for the use of the prohibited substance or method is not a consequence of
the prior use (without a TUE) of a substance or method prohibited at the time of such
use.

A Therapeutic Use Exemption may protect athletes from receiving a sanction if a

prohibited substance is found in their sample or advised by Sport Integrity Australia that
they can (should) apply as a result of an investigation.

DO YOU NEED A THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION?

STEP 1

Check the substance on the Global DRO website to see if it or the method is prohibited.

STEP 2

If the substance and/or method is prohibited and you need to use the substance, you
now need to work out if you need an in-advance or retroactive Therapeutic Use
Exemption.

NOTE: not all medications are eligible for a Therapeutic Use Exemption and
having a Therapeutic Use Exemption will only guard against a possible anti-
doping rule violation if the medication is used as per the Therapeutic Use
Exemption.

Athletes who require the use of Testosterone are strongly encouraged to review the
information required with their treating Practitioner before applying for a Therapeutic
Use Exemption.

Preparing a medical file does not guarantee a Therapeutic Use Exemption will be
granted.
ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR AN IN-ADVANCE
THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION?
Only certain, higher level athletes need to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption in-
advance. In-advance Therapeutic Use Exemptions need to be applied for before taking
the medication (except for emergency situations and hospital visits). Other athletes are
able to apply for a planned retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemption once they have been
tested or advised by Sport Integrity Australia that they can (should) apply as a result of
an investigation.

Check the list of sports and criteria for athletes needing an in-advance Therapeutic Use
Exemption. If your sport is listed and you meet one or more of the criteria, you will need
to apply for an in-advance Therapeutic Use Exemption.

If you have been notified by Sport Integrity Australia of your inclusion on the Sport
Integrity Australia Registered Testing Pool/Domestic Testing Pool you are required to
apply for an in-advance Therapeutic Use Exemption irrespective if your sport is listed or
not.

If your sport is not listed or you do not meet any of the criteria, you should prepare a
medical file in case you need to apply for a planned retroactive Therapeutic Use
Exemption in the future.

Note: On 1 January each year the details of sports and criteria requiring an in-
advance Therapeutic Use Exemption is updated. Please ensure that you check
your circumstances on or after 1 January.

RETROACTIVE THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION

Retroactive Therapeutic Use Exemptions may be approved for the following:

 Emergency or urgent treatment of a medical condition was necessary.

 There was insufficient time, opportunity or other exceptional circumstances that
prevented the athlete from submitting (or the TUEC to consider) an application for the
TUE prior to sample collection.
 Due to national-level prioritisation of certain sports, the athlete’s National Anti-Doping
Organisation did not permit or require the athlete to apply for a prospective TUE.
 If an Anti-Doping Organisation chooses to collect a sample from an athlete who is not an
International-Level Athlete or National-Level Athlete, and that athlete is using a
Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method for Therapeutic reasons, the Anti-Doping
Organisation must permit the athlete to apply for a retroactive TUE.
 The athlete used Out-of-Competition, for Therapeutic reasons, a Prohibited Substance
that is only prohibited In-Competition.

In rare and exceptional circumstances and notwithstanding any other provision in the
ISTUE, you may apply for and be granted retroactive approval for a therapeutic use of a
prohibited substance or method, if considering the purpose of the Code, it would be
manifestly unfair not to grant a retroactive TUE.

APPLY FOR A THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION

STEP 1

Fill in the Therapeutic Use Exemption application form. ACCESS THE FORM

STEP 2

Check the medical evidence to common Therapeutic Use Exemption applications to see
what specific medical information you need to provide.

STEP 3

Send the completed form and supporting medical information to:

 Post: PO Box 1744, Fyshwick ACT 2609

 Email: asdmac@sportintegrity.gov.au

NEED HELP?

If you need assistance with the Therapeutic Use Exemption application call us on 02
6222 4283 or email asdmac@sportintegrity.gov.au.

7. TRAFFICKING OR ATTEMPTED TRAFFICKING.

We work closely with Australian Border Force and other law enforcement agencies to
investigate trafficking of prohibited drugs, medications and substances, and prohibited
methods.

Athletes, support persons and non-participants can receive a sanction for being
involved in the trafficking of prohibited substances or methods. This can include
supplying substances to people who are not athletes.

8. ADMINISTRATION OR ATTEMPTED ADMINISTRATION.

If an athlete, support person or non-participant administers or attempts to administer
any prohibited method or substance to an athlete, we can sanction them. This will
prevent them from being involved in sport or with athletes.

An example of an ‘Administration’ anti-doping rule violation might be where a support

person:
  provides
 supplies
 supervises
 facilitates
 or otherwise participates in, the use or attempted use of a prohibited substance
or method by an athlete.

9. COMPLICITY.
If a person is aware that someone intends or attempts to violate an anti-doping rule, or if
a person tries to cover up someone’s an anti-doping rule violation, we can sanction that
person for complicit behaviour.

Complicit behaviour includes:

 assisting
 encouraging
 aiding
 abetting
 conspiring
 covering up
 or any other type of intentional complicity, involving any anti-doping rule violation
or attempted anti-doping rule violation.

10. PROHIBITED ASSOCIATION.

Athletes, support persons and non-participants are not allowed to work with any support
person who:

 is serving a sanction for a doping violation, or

 is not subject to a sport’s anti-doping policy but has been criminally convicted or
professionally disciplined in relation to doping.

For example, some types of association which are prohibited include:

 obtaining training, strategy, technique, nutrition or medical advice

 obtaining therapy, treatment or prescriptions.

WADA publishes a global list of athlete support personnel who are currently suspended
from working with athletes or other people on its website.

11. ACTS BY AN ATHLETE OR OTHER PERSON TO DISCOURAGE OR

RETALIATE AGAINST REPORTING TO AUTHORITIES
From 1 January 2021, a new anti-doping rule violation came into effect that makes it an
offence to discourage or retaliate against someone for reporting information relating to
doping activities. For example, an athlete witnesses their teammate using a
prohibited substance and the athlete’s teammate threatens to harm the athlete if they
tell the authorities. In this example the teammate can be sanctioned for discouraging
reporting to authorities.

ADRV PROCESS
Australia has a robust process in place to determine if an athlete or support person has
committed a possible anti-doping rule violation (ADRV). This process is legislated under
the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020 and the Sport Integrity Australia Regulations
2020 (containing the National Anti-Doping scheme (NAD scheme)), and follows the
principles set out under the World Anti-Doping Code 2021 (the Code), including the
World Anti-Doping Code – International Standard – Results Management 2021, which
establishes a process for the management of potential ADRVs.

Each potential ADRV brought before Sport Integrity Australia is unique in both its
circumstances and the time it takes to reach a conclusion.

Sanctions for violations can range from a warning, to a short suspension or to a lifetime
ban.

The following process sets out the general course of action that a matter may take
through to its conclusion. The exact detail of the process will depend upon the anti-
doping policy of the relevant sport.
ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATION HANDBOOK: A
GUIDE FOR ATHLETES
We have published the Anti-Doping Rule Violation Handbook: A Guide for Athletes that
outlines all the information athletes need when faced with an anti-doping rule violation.

The handbook offers end-to-end guidelines around this complex process, from when an
athlete first receives their notification of an AAF (Adverse Analytical Finding) through to
the sanction consequences and their return to training.

Importantly, the handbook outlines what resources are available to athletes during this
difficult time and also ways they can take care of their physical and mental health.

The handbook was developed in partnership with the Athlete Advisory Group and
includes valuable insights and stories from Australian sanctioned athletes who have
been through the same process.