Because of the strongly held belief that our sport must be kept clean of those practices that could destroy the sense of what athletes do and their integrity, the IFSC committed itself to the fight against doping from the very beginning. It works in close relationship with the guidelines provided by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
The IFSC is committed to the eradication of doping from sport and to protecting clean athletes. Doping can be harmful to the athletes’ health, damages the integrity of sport, and is morally and ethically wrong. All athletes participating in IFSC competitions must abide by the IFSC Anti-Doping Rules. The latest IFSC Anti-Doping Rules were adopted in November 2020 and came into effect on 1 January 2021.
Since its creation the IFSC has been collaborating with the International Testing Authority ,to which it has recently delegated the execution of some elements of the Anti-Doping Program.
Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) according to article 2 of the WADA Code:
The use of doping substances or doping methods to enhance performance is fundamentally wrong and is detrimental to the overall spirit of sport. Drug misuse can be harmful to an athlete's health and to other athletes competing in the sport. It severely damages the integrity, image and value of sport, whether or not the motivation to use drugs is to improve performance. To achieve integrity and fairness in sport, a commitment to clean sport is critical.
"Every athlete has the right to clean sport!"
ANY ATHLETE MAY BE TESTED IN AND OUT-OF-COMPETITION, ANY TIME, ANYWHERE, AND WITH NO ADVANCE NOTICE.
The principle of strict liability applies in Anti-Doping - if it is in the athlete's body, the athlete is responsible for it.
ATHLETES' RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):
Note: during doping control, the athlete must remain within direct observation of the Doping Control Officer (DCO) or chaperone at all times, from when the initial contact is made until the completion of the sample collection procedure. The athlete must also produce identification upon request.
ATHLETES' RIGHTS INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):
- bringing a representative and, if available, an interpreter;
- asking for additional information about the sample collection process;
- requesting a delay in reporting to the doping control station for valid reasons (International Standard for Testing and Investigations Art. 5.4.4); and
- requesting modifications for athletes with impairments (if applicable).
Coaches, trainers, managers, agents, and other support personnel have a role in defending clean sport and supporting athletes in the anti-doping processes.
ATHLETE SUPPORT PERSONNELS’ OBLIGATIONS INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):
*unless the Athlete Support Personnel can establish that the possession is consistent with a TUE granted to an athlete or other acceptable justification. Acceptable justification would include, for example, a team doctor carrying Prohibited Substances for dealing with acute and emergency situations.
ATHLETE SUPPORT PERSONNELS' RIGHTS INCLUDE (BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO):
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was established in 1999 as an independent international agency and is composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. Its key activities include in particular scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, investigations and monitoring of the World Anti-Doping Code and its application by Code signatories (International Federations, National Anti-Doping Organisations, Major Event Organizations, etc.).
For more information about WADA, consult:
Anti-doping activities required of IFs by the World Anti-Doping Code include conducting in-competition and out-of-competition testing, providing education programmes, and sanctioning those who commit anti-doping rule violations.
NADOs are organisations designated by each country as possessing the primary authority and responsibility to adopt and implement national anti-doping rules, carry out anti-doping education, plan tests, and adjudicate anti-doping rule violations at a national level. They may also test athletes from other countries competing within that nation’s borders.
Check the list of NADOs to find out who to contact in your country.
If a NADO has not been designated in a country, the National Olympic Committee (NOC), if there is no NADO, takes over these responsibilities. In a number of regions of the world, countries have pooled their resources together to create a Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (RADO) responsible for conducting anti-doping activities in the region in support of NADOs.
Check the list of RADOs.
RADOs bring together geographically-clustered groups of countries where there are limited or no anti-doping activities. The RADOs provide anti-doping education for athletes, coaches, and support personnel, testing of athletes, training of local personnel to undertake this task, and an administrative framework to operate within.