Anti-Doping

Statement of Anti-Doping

ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATIONS

Statement

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 a clean field of play is critical. UWH SG seeks to maintain the integrity of subaquatic sports by running a comprehensive anti-doping program that focuses equally on education/prevention and on testing, with consequent sanctioning of those who break the rules.

Principle of Strict Liability

In anti-doping, the principle of Strict Liability applies – if it is in the athlete's body, the athlete is responsible for it.

This means that every athlete is strictly liable for the substances found in their urine and/or blood sample collected during doping control, regardless of whether the athlete intentionally or unintentionally used a prohibited substance or method. Therefore, it is vital that athletes and Athlete Support Personnel know the rules and understand their responsibilities under the Code.

Athletes must know and understand the Prohibited List (https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list) and with the risks associated with supplement use. More information on the Prohibited List, medications and supplements is available in the Prohibited List, Medications & Supplements section (see CMAS website).

Athlete's Responsibilities

It is equally important that athletes are aware of their anti-doping responsibilities. Athlete Support Personnel should also familiarise themselves with these in order to be able to support their athletes. These include:

  • Knowing and following CMAS Anti-Doping Rules and any other applicable AntiDoping Rules (for example, those of Major Event Organisations)
  • Taking full responsibility for what you ingest – make sure that no prohibited substance enters your body and that no prohibited methods are used
  • Informing medical personnel of your obligations as an athlete
  • Cooperating with CMAS and other Anti-Doping Organisations (WADA, ITA, NADOs)
  • Being available for sample collection
  • Not working with coaches, trainers, physicians or other Athlete Support Personnel who are ineligible on account of an Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV), or who have been criminally convicted or disciplined in relation to doping (see WADA's Prohibited Association List)

Further details of these roles and responsibilities can be found in Code Art. 21.1.

Athletes also have specific rights and responsibilities during the Doping Control Process. Please refer to this section on the CMAS website for more information.

Rights and Responsibilities of Athlete Support Personnel and other groups

Like athletes, Athlete Support Personnel and others under the jurisdiction of CMAS also have rights and responsibilities as per the Code. These include:

  • Being knowledgeable of anti-doping policies and rules which are applicable to you or the athlete(s) you support
  • Using your influence on athlete values and behaviours to foster anti-doping attitudes
  • Complying with all anti-doping policies and rules which are applicable to you and the athlete(s) you support
  • Cooperating with the athlete testing program
  • Disclosing to CMAS and their NADO whether you have committed any ADRV's within the previous ten years
  • Cooperating with anti-doping organisations investigating ADRVs

Further details of these roles and responsibilities can be found in Code Art. 21.2 and 21.3.

Anti-doping Rule Violations

Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) in line with Code Art. 2 (Anti-Doping Rule Violations):

  1. Presence of a prohibited substance in an Athlete's sample
  2. Use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method
  3. Refusal to submit to sample collection after being notified
  4. Failure to file Athlete Whereabouts information & missed tests
  5. Tampering with any part of the doping control process
  6. Possession of a prohibited substance or method
  7. Trafficking a prohibited substance or method
  8. Administering or attempting to administer a prohibited substance or method to an Athlete
  9. Complicity in an ADRV
  10. Prohibited association with sanctioned Athlete Support Personnel
  11. Discourage or Retaliate other Persons from reporting relevant Anti-Doping information to the authorities.

The first four Anti-Doping Rule Violations apply only to athletes since they refer to the obligation not to take banned substances and the obligation to submit to testing.

The remaining seven Anti-Doping Rules apply to both the athletes and the Athlete Support Personnel including coaches, medical professionals, or anyone else working with the athlete or involved in anti-doping activities. National and International Federation administrators, officials and sample collection staff may also be liable for their conduct under the World Anti-Doping Code.