Important Statement on Anti-Doping

Important Statement on Anti-Doping Lausanne – 31 January 2008   Availability of Athletes for Testing   Ø     As per FITA Anti-Doping rules, all athletes affiliated with a FITA Member Association are subject to Doping Controls not only at Events, but also to Out-of-Competition Testing at any place or time, by FITA, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the Athlete’s Member Association, the National Anti-Doping Organisation of any country where the athlete is present, the IOC during Olympic Games and the IPC during Paralympic Games.   Ø     As per the WADA International Standards for Testing, which FITA is bound to, after the acceptance of the notification to submit to a sample collection by an athlete, a Doping Control Officer (DCO) may accept a request to delay the sample collection session in only certain and/or exceptional circumstances (e.g. locating a representative, completing a training session, receiving a medical treatment…), which shall be documented. But the DCO shall reject such a request if it will not be possible for the Athlete to be continuously chaperoned.   Practically, this means that upon a visit of a DCO duly appointed by one of the above-mentioned organisations, an athlete can not have any valid reason for not signing a notification to submit to sample collection and not complying to the DCO’s instructions, e.g. “the time is not convenient”, “I am currently busy”, “Please come later”, “I have an other important commitment”, etc…   Refusing to submit to sample collection constitutes an anti-doping rule violation which may lead to a two year’s ineligibility sanction.   We urge all athletes affiliated with a FITA Member Association to pay the utmost attention on this matter and to behave accordingly, whatever the circumstances.    Alison Williamson, Chairwoman of FITA Athletes Committee Françoise Dagouret, FITA Anti-Doping Administrator January 2008