The use of doping substances or doping methods to enhance performance is fundamentally wrong and is detrimental to the spirit of sport. Competing clean is a key principle in preserving the integrity and fairness of sport for the benefit of athletes, coaches and fans alike. However, it also helps to protect your image and, above all, your health. As a clean athlete, you can take pride in your performances.
To achieve integrity and fairness in sport, a commitment to a clean field of play is critical. IWGA seeks to maintain the integrity of The World Games by running a comprehensive anti-doping programme that focuses equally on education/prevention and on testing, with consequent sanctioning of those who break the rules.
The values of The World Games – excellence, sustainability and inclusiveness – underpin clean and fair sport. Hear from TWG Athlete of the Year 2021 winner PR Sreejesh about the importance of competing clean.
This section presents a summary of the key athlete rights. It is important that both athletes and Athlete Support Personnel know and understand these.
Ensuring that athletes are aware of their rights and these are respected is vital to the success of clean sport. Athlete rights exist throughout the Code and International Standards, and they include:
• Equality of opportunity
• Equitable and Fair Testing programmes
• Medical treatment and protection of health rights
• Right to justice
• Right to accountability
• Whistleblower rights
• Right to education
• Right to data protection
• Rights to compensation
• Protected Persons Rights
• Rights during a Sample Collection Session
• Right to B sample analysis
• Other rights and freedoms not affected
• Application and standing
The Athletes’ Anti-Doping Rights Act is a key document that consolidates these athlete rights in anti-doping. It is based on the 2021 WADA Code and International Standards, and it aims to ensure that athlete rights within anti-doping are clearly set out, accessible and universally applicable.
It is equally essential 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 IWGA anti-doping rules and any other applicable Anti-Doping Rules. For example, those of your National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) or an International Federation (IF).
• 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 IWGA and other Anti-Doping Organisations (ADOs) such as WADA, the ITA, IFs etc.
• Being available for sample collection.
• Not working with coaches, trainers, physicians or other Athlete Support Personnel who are ineligible on account of an ADRV, or those who have been criminally convicted or disciplined in relation to doping (see WADA’s Prohibited Association List).
Participating athletes have to sign and provide the original Athlete Consent Form to receive their accreditations.
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.
Like athletes, Athlete Support Personnel and others under the jurisdiction of IWGA also have rights and responsibilities as per the Code. These include:
• Being knowledgeable of anti-doping policies and rules which are applicable to you and to 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 programme.
• Disclosing to IWGA whether you have committed any Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) within the previous ten years.
• Cooperating with ADOs investigating ADRVs.
Participating officials have to sign and provide the original Official Consent Form to receive their accreditations.
Further details of these roles and responsibilities can be found in Code Art. 21.2 and 21.3.
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 also know and understand the Prohibited List and the risks associated with supplement use. More information on the Prohibited List, medications and supplements is available in this section.
Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) which are as follows:
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 or use banned methods and the obligation to submit to testing.
The remaining seven Anti-Doping Rule Violations apply to both the athlete and the Athlete Support Personnel including coaches, medical professionals, or anyone else working with the athlete or involved in anti-doping activities. ADO and National Olympic Committee administrators, officials and sample collection staff may also be liable for their conduct under the World Anti-Doping Code.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) produces a list of substances and methods that are banned in sport in the form of the Prohibited List. It is updated at least annually, with the new list taking effect on January 1 of each year.
It is important that athletes and Athlete Support Personnel are familiar with the Prohibited List and know how to check whether medications are prohibited in sport.
A substance or method can be added to the Prohibited List if it meets at least two of the following three criteria:
1. It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance.
2. Use of the substance or method represents an actual or potential health risk to the athlete.
3. Use of the substance or method violates the spirit of sport.
The Prohibited List includes substances and methods that are categorised into three groups:
1. Substances and methods prohibited at all times
2. Substances and methods prohibited in-competition
3. Substances prohibited in particular sports
According to the Code, the in-competition is the period commencing at 11:59 p.m. on the day before a Competition in which the Athlete is scheduled to participate through the end of such Competition and the Sample collection process related to such Competition. In-competition periods may differ for some sports, and athletes are encouraged to check the Anti-Doping Rules of their International Federation.
The in-competition period is very important to understand when it relates to substances that are prohibited in-competition. When a substance is prohibited in-competition, it must leave the athlete’s system by the time the said competition begins. It does not mean that the athlete must stop taking the substance only by the time the in-competition period begins. Different substances take different amounts of time to leave the system – athletes must be extremely careful to make sure that they are not caught with a positive test as a result of taking a substance prohibited in-competition.
The 2025 Prohibited List can be found on the WADA website.
Both prescribed and over-the-counter medications should be checked against the Prohibited List. Athletes should also inform their doctors and other medical professionals of their obligations as high-performance athletes and emphasise the fact that they are subject to the rules of the World Anti-Doping Code.
We recommend using Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO) to check all medications. Global DRO provides athletes and Athlete Support Personnel with information about the prohibited status of specific medications based on the current WADA Prohibited List.
Here are a few tips and tricks to help athletes and Athlete Support Personnel navigate the Prohibited List and be able to select medications that are safe to take within the context of sport:
• Only the medical ingredient names are listed on the Prohibited List - not brand names
• Always check dosage restrictions, route administration of the medicine and any limitations for the use of the drug based on gender
• Check both over-the-counter and prescription medications before using them
• Inform your medical professional that you are an athlete and subject to anti-doping regulations
• Different substances take different amounts of time to leave your system –take that into account when taking substances prohibited in-competition
• Be careful when substituting one brand of medication for another – they may contain different medical ingredients
• Be careful when travelling – the same brand of a medication may contain different medical ingredients abroad
• Regularly check for updates to the Prohibited List
Extreme caution is recommended regarding supplement use. A number of positive tests have been attributed to the misuse of supplements, poor labelling and supplement contamination. There is no 100% guarantee that a supplement is free from prohibited substances but there are ways to significantly minimise the risks.
Here are some of the risks:
• Manufacturing standards, which are often less strict when compared with medicines. These lower standards often lead to supplement contamination at production facilities;
• Fake or low-quality products, which may contain prohibited substances and other substances that are harmful to health;
• Mislabelling of supplements – ingredients listen in the wrong dosage, or not at all identified on the product label;
• False claims that a particular supplement is endorsed by Anti-Doping Organisations or that it is “safe for athletes”. Anti-Doping Organisations do not certify supplements – this is done by independent companies.
All athletes should do a risk-benefit assessment if they are considering to use supplements. The first step of such an assessment is to consider whether a “food-first” approach meets the athlete’s needs. Whenever possible, such assessment should be done with a support of a certified nutritionist who is familiar with the anti-doping system.
If, after careful consideration, an athlete chooses to use supplements, they must take the necessary steps to minimise the risks. This includes:
• Select supplements only when a benefit is likely – this should be done with the assistance of a certified nutritionist who can properly assess the athlete’s needs
• Use supplements and doses that are safe. Select supplements that have been batch-tested by an independent company. Companies that batch-test supplements include Informed Sport, Certified for Sport or Kölner Liste.
Athletes may have illnesses or conditions that require them to take medications or undergo procedures. If the medication or method an athlete is required to use to treat an illness or condition is prohibited as per the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List, a TUE may give that athlete the authorization to use that substance or method while competing without invoking an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) and applicable sanction. Applications for TUEs are evaluated by a panel of physicians, the TUE Committee (TUEC).
A TUE is a certificate granted for a set prohibited substance, in certain dosage, with a limited period of validity. An application for a TUE must be based on a documented medical condition and diagnosis, and the TUE will only be granted under strict criteria as outlined in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE).
Athletes must absolutely avoid taking a medication containing a prohibited substance without a valid TUE.
All of the four following criteria must be met for obtaining a TUE (for more details, please refer to the WADA International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE) Article 4.2):
For a TUE to be granted, all four of the above criteria must be met. All TUE applications are reviewed by a panel of experts called the TUE Committee (TUEC).
Athletes participating in The World Games are subject to the IWGA TUE Application Process. They need a TUE to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method. Athletes should verify with their International Federation to know to whom they need to apply and how they can apply retroactively.
If the athlete participating in The World Games already has a valid TUE granted by their National Anti-Doping Organisation or International Federation, IWGA will recognise it.
If the athlete does not already have a TUE granted by their NADO or IF, the athlete must apply directly to IWGA for a TUE as soon as possible – but no later than 30 days before The World Games (deadline is 5 June 2022) using the IWGA TUE Application Form. A TUE granted by IWGA for a specific event is effective for that event only. For example, a TUE granted to an athlete for The World Games 2022 is only valid from 5 to 18 July 2022 and is not valid for any other event, such as World Championships or future editions of The World Games.
You may only apply retroactively for a TUE to IWGA if:
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.
This unique retroactive TUE will only be granted with the prior approval of WADA (and WADA may in its absolute discretion agree with or reject the IWGA’s decision).
Important note:
Using a prohibited substance or method without a TUE could result in an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
In case an application for a retroactive TUE is necessary following sample collection, you are strongly advised to have a medical file prepared and ready to submit for evaluation.
A Therapeutic Use Exemption must always be approved prior to the start of the treatment. In emergency or exceptional cases, a retroactive TUE may be granted.
Athletes participating in The World Games may obtain a valid TUE granted by their National Anti-Doping Organisation or International Federation.
Upon arrival at The World Games, it is possible to ask the TUE Committee for emergency TUEs. If an athlete is not sure of where they should apply for a TUE, they should contact the respective International Federation.
Please download the IWGA's TUE Application Form, and once duly completed and signed, send it together with the required medical file to the IWGA TUE Committee.
Your TUE application must be submitted in legible capital letters or typing.
The medical file must include:
- A comprehensive medical history, including documentation from the original diagnosing physician(s) (where possible);
- The results of all examinations, laboratory investigations and imaging studies relevant to the application.
Any TUE application that is not complete or legible will not be dealt with and will be returned for completion and re-submission.
To assist you and your doctor in providing the correct medical documentation, we suggest consulting the WADA’s Checklists for TUE applications for guidance and support, and Medical Information to Support the Decisions of TUECs for guidance on specific common medical conditions, treatments, substances, etc.
Keep a complete copy of the TUE application form and all medical information submitted in support of your application, and proof that it has been sent.
A decision to deny a TUE application will include a written explanation of the reason(s) for the denial. If it is not clear to you, please contact the IWGA TUE Committee to understand exactly why the TUE was denied. Sometimes, there may be a critical piece of information, diagnostic test, laboratory results missing, etc. In which case, you should re-apply to us.
You and/or your NADO may refer the matter to WADA for review no later than 21 days after notification of the IWGA TUEC decision. You should send the same information that you submitted to us, and on which the decision to deny the TUE was based on, via a secure on-line method or by registered mail at:
WADA Medical Department
World Anti-Doping Agency
Stock Exchange Tower
800 Place Victoria (Suite 1700)
P.O. Box 120
Montreal (Quebec) H4Z 1B7
Canada
The email address to enquire and/or send the request for review is: [email protected]
It should be noted that WADA is not obliged to proceed with a request for a review. In that case, you and/or your NADO may appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
All the information contained in a TUE application, including the supporting medical information and any other information related to the evaluation of a TUE request, is kept strictly confidential and treated in accordance with the Athlete’s Declaration contained in the TUE process and in the IWGA TUE Application Form.
All members of the TUEC and any other authorised recipients of the TUE request and related information (as described in the Athlete’s Declaration) are subject to a professional or contractual confidentiality obligation.
For any further information and questions in relation to IWGA's personal information practices, please contact IWGA Executive Committee Member Volker Bernardi.
The aim of testing is to detect and deter doping amongst athletes and to protect clean athletes. Any athlete under the testing jurisdiction of IWGA may be tested at any time, with no advance notice, and be required to provide a urine or a blood sample. Note that the IWGA anti-doping programme is managed by the International Testing Agency (ITA).
The doping control process is clearly defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency. This means that no matter where and when an athlete is tested, the process should remain the same.
The key steps of the doping control process are listed out in this Doping Control infographic (also available in Arabic (ﻋرﺑﻰ), Chinese (中文), French (français), German (deutsch), Italian (italiano), Japanese (日本語), Korean (한국어), Portuguese (português), Russian (русский) and Spanish (español).
Athletes have a number of rights and responsibilities during sample collection. These are:
• To have a representative accompany them during the process
• To request an interpreter, if one is available
• To ask for Chaperone’s/Doping Control Officer’s identification
• To ask any questions
• To request a delay for a valid reason (e.g., attending a victory ceremony, receiving necessary medical attention, warming down or finishing a training session)
• To request special assistance or modifications to the process
• To record any comments or concerns on the Doping Control Form
Athlete responsibilities during sample collection are to:
• Report for testing immediately if selected
• Show valid identification (usually a government-issued ID). The official World Games accreditation is considered a valid form of identification during the event for which the accreditation is valid
• Remain in direct sight of the Doping Control Officer or Chaperone
• Comply with the collection procedure
The Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) was introduced in 2009 and is a pillar method in the detection of doping. It is an individual electronic profile that monitors selected Athlete biological variables that indirectly reveal the effects of doping.
The IWGA Privacy Notice describes how we will collect, use and share personal information about you to run the Games’ anti-doping program and create a clean sport environment for all athletes.
Whereabouts are information provided by a limited number of top elite athletes about their location. Information is provided in the form of quarterly filings as per the requirements of the Anti-Doping Organisation requesting the information.
Whereabouts information is uploaded onto a secure platform called ADAMS. The Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) is a management tool for data entry, storage, sharing, and reporting designed to assist stakeholders and WADA in their anti-doping operations. ADAMS can only be accessed by the authorised person acting on behalf of the Anti-Doping Organisations with authority to conduct out-of-competition testing.
Athletes in a National or Registered Testing Pool must make sure that their whereabouts information is up-to-date during The World Games. Information to include is as follows:
• Accommodation information including hotel name, address and room number or block and room number within The World Games Athletes’ Village
• Competition venue and time of training
• If an athlete is included in a Registered Testing Pool (RTP), they must continue to provide a 60-minute time slot
It is strongly recommended that all athletes who are subject to whereabouts submission requirements download and regularly use Athlete Central. Athlete Central is WADA’s mobile application which allows athletes to easily submit and update whereabouts information on a mobile device.
An athlete may receive a Missed Test if he/she is not available for testing during the 60-minute timeslot indicated in ADAMS. Three Whereabouts Failures (any combination of a Filing Failure and a Missed Test) occurring within a 12-month period will lead to an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and a potential two-year ban from sport.
It is important to note that under the Principle of Strict Liability, the athlete remains responsible for the information submitted, even if they have delegated this task to a member of their support team. A reminder that athletes must continue to submit whereabouts information during The World Games.
There are many risks associated with doping. From negative effects on mental and physical health, to loss of sponsorship or prize money, to permanent damage to an athlete’s image and relationships, it is important to understand and consider all consequences of doping. Below is a list of some of the common consequences of not competing clean.
The use of Performance-enhancing Drugs (PEDs) may have long- and short-term impacts on the athlete’s physical and mental health.
Depending on the substance, the dosage and the duration of use, some PEDs have been proven to have severe side effects and can cause irreversible damage to an athlete’s body. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has outlined the negative impacts of several doping substances on their website.
In addition to the physical aspects, scientific research has shown that there is a considerable correlation between the use of PEDs and mental health issues. Most commonly, it was found that the use of doping substances can trigger anxiety, obsessive disorders or psychosis.
Being associated with doping or a doping offence will have an impact on the person’s reputation and social relations. In the public view, athletes or other persons convicted of doping are often considered cheaters and experience many forms of stigma.
Doping has a significant negative impact on the person’s private life and social interactions as people may feel that they no longer want to be connected to someone who has damaged the reputation of a sport and displayed poor judgement.
A ban resulting from an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) will have a significant financial impact on the individual. For athletes and Athlete Support Personnel, this includes the requirement to return prize money or a financial sanction. Other negative consequences of doping include termination of contracts and sponsorship deals, loss of government funding, grants and other forms of financial support.
An Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) will have an impact on an athlete’s ability to train and compete. For coaches and other Athlete Support Personnel, a ban may mean that they are no longer able to practice their profession and work with athletes. A sanction resulting from an ADRV can range from a warning to a lifetime ban from all sport.
It is important to note that individuals banned in one sport will also be prohibited from playing, coaching or working with athletes in any other capacity in a different sport.
It is also against the Code to work with Athlete Support Personnel who have been sanctioned by the IF, as well as any coaches, trainers, physicians or other Athlete Support Personnel who are ineligible on account of an ADRV, or those who have been criminally convicted or professionally disciplined in relation to doping.
Beyond the legal consequences, an increasing number of public authorities and governments have adopted legislations that treat doping as a criminal act. Consequently, in addition to being ineligible to coach or compete, you may face criminal charges in your country. Depending on the national legislation and the degree of the violation, charges can lead to fines, social service requirements and even incarceration.
Any sanctions that occur during The World Games will be announced on the IWGA website.
A full list of all Athlete Support Personnel who are currently suspended from working with Athletes or other Persons can be found on WADA’s Prohibited Association List.
Athletes and Athlete Support Personnel play a key role in protecting the integrity of sport. Any suspicions of doping or related activity can be reported through REVEAL, the International Testing Agency’s confidential whistleblowing platform.
REVEAL enables anonymous reporting in a secure manner while actively supporting the investigation of Anti-Doping Rule Violations or related activities. All information is treated confidentially and in accordance with a strict handling policy.
Let’s keep sport real together!
The following decisions have been taken by the responsible authorities of IWGA and ITA related to The World Games 2022 Birmingham, AL, USA competitions:
