Important to every athlete!

If during the out-of-competition period an athlete uses a substance which is prohibited in-competition only, and this substance is then detected in a sample collected from them in-competition, they may be facing a ban for a period of up to two years regardless that the use did not actually occur in-competition. Different substances have different breakdown periods that range between 24 hours or less and six months or more. That being said, the easiest way for athletes to protect themselves from such unpleasant situations is:

• to avoid the use of any such substances;

• to make sure they always check the contents of the medications they take;

• to always inform the persons from whom they receive medical treatment that they are athletes and therefore subject to doping control;

• to always have with them a copy of the current version of the Prohibited List.

Athletes, who need to undergo treatment requiring the use of a prohibited substance or prohibited method, must first obtain a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Athletes must never forget thе "Principle of strict liability":

• it is their personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substance enters their body;

• they are responsible for any prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers found to be present in their samples and that it is not necessary that intent, fault, negligence or knowing use on their part be demonstrated in order to establish an anti-doping rule violation.

In addition:

• the presence of any quantity of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in an athlete’s sample constitutes an anti-doping rule violation;

• possession of a prohibited substance or prohibited method by them at any time or any place constitutes an anti-doping rule violation unless they are able to establish that the possession is in accordance with a valid TUE.

What is the Prohibited List?

Structure of the Prohibited List

What is a ‘specified substance’?

Warning: METHYLHEXANEAMINE!