ANTI DOPING Irish Sports Council Publish New Anti Doping Rules
Information campaign prepares the way for rules coming into force from January 1, 2009
New anti doping rules, which will come into force on January 1, have been published today (November 20, 2008). The new Rules will ensure that Ireland is fully compliant with the new World Anti-Doping Code. The WADA Code provides the framework for harmonized anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sports organisations and among public authorities.
The new Rules include a number of modifications which will have an impact on sports and athletes. A series of technical and administrative changes to the "Whereabouts" and "Therapeutic Use Exemptions" systems will be introduced.
Notably the Rules introduce greater flexibility in the area of sanctions. It broadens the spectrum of anti-doping violations that can lead to a four year ban, including using multiple substances and using a banned substance on multiple occasions. On the other hand it allows for lesser sanctions where an athlete can prove there was no intention to enhance performance.
The Irish Sports Council recognises that the fight against doping in sport requires an international and multi-agency approach. It works with WADA to ensure all athletes benefit from the same anti-doping procedures and protections, no matter the sport, the nationality, or the country where tested, so that all athletes may participate in competition that is both safe and fair. The Council participated in the review of the current WADA Code and is on target to introduce the new Rules on January 1.
National Governing Bodies and athletes are essential to the correct introduction of the new Rules. The Irish Sports Council is hosting a series of open-invitation education seminars in December and January around the country as well as sports specific seminars in association with the National Governing Bodies. The first meeting takes place this Saturday for NGB authorities, in particular Anti-Doping Officers and those with a role in educating athletes on anti-doping in National Governing Bodies.
Dr Brendan Buckley, Chairman of the Anti-Doping Committee commented: "The fight against doping in sport requires constant vigilance. It is necessary to review our rules and procedures on an ongoing basis to ensure that they are fair and adequate to deal with current challenges. We appreciate that this is a burden for all sports agencies and for athletes. However they appreciate that it is essential and to ensure fairness for everyone involved in sport. "
John Treacy, CEO of the Irish Sports Council said: "The problems of doping in sport will always be with us. We have made huge progress in recent year and WADA have done outstanding work in harmonising international procedures. The new Rules is a further advance and contains many modifications which will be welcomed in sport. Our Anti-Doing Unit is recognised as one of the best in the world and my colleagues have taken on a major challenge in revising and introducing new Rules".
The current WADA Code, which went into formal effect on 1 January 2004, underwent a thorough review and consultation with a particular emphasis on its practical application. WADA published a revised World Anti-Doping Code in the Autumn of 2007. This Code (along with a number of revised WADA International Standards) formed the basis for the revised version of the Irish Anti-Doping Rules 2009.
The new Rules will be introduced to the National Governing Bodies of Sport this Saturday (November 22) at a special seminar in the Davenport Hotel, Merrion Square, Dublin 2 from 9.00 am. Attendees will be updated on the changes to the Irish Anti-Doping Rules in areas such as sanctions, whereabouts requirements as well as highlighting key changes in the Therapeutic Use Exemption Process and Sample Collection Procedures. The roles and responsibilities of sport, mentors and athletes in educating athletes about Anti-Doping will also be addressed.
Speakers on the day will include Mr John Treacy (C.E.O. Irish Sports Council), Dr Brendan Buckley (Chairman, Anti-Doping Committee, ISC), Mr Gary Rice (Beauchamps Solicitors), Dr Una May (Anti-Doping Programme Manager) and Anti-Doping Unit staff.
The event is targeted at anti-doping officers of sports. However anyone with an interest in the issues, including the media, is invited to attend. There is no fee for attendance but places are limited. Places can be booked at www.irishsportscouncil.ie or by calling 01 8608801.
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Anti Doping Rules 2009 - Summary of Key Changes
Key changes to the World Anti-Doping Code which have been incorporated into the Irish Anti-Doping Rules 2009:
- Increased Sanctions: The revised Code provides for an increase of sanctions in doping cases involving aggravating circumstances
- Greater Flexibility: The revised Code provides greater flexibility in relation to sanctions in general.
- Specified Substances: The definition of "specified substances" changes with the coming into force of the revised Code.
- Incentives to Come Forward: The revised Code provides stronger incentives to come forward.
- Financial Sanctions: The revised Code does not preclude anti-doping organizations from providing financial sanctions against cheaters, in addition to the period of ineligibility or other sanction imposed.
- Accelerated Management of Doping Cases: The revised Code addresses delays and calls for the acceleration of the process and management of doping cases.
- WADA's Right of Appeal: The revised Code clarifies WADA's right to appeal directly to the Court of Arbitration for Sport a case in which an anti-doping organization fails to render a decision with respect to whether an anti-doping rule violation was committed within a reasonable deadline.
- Greater Harmonization: The rules have been harmonized and made more uniform and mandatory as part of the Code review.
Additional significant changes to the Irish Anti-Doping Rules (many of which are mandatory Code provisions) are as follows:
- Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs): The concept of an abbreviated TUE no longer exists and high performance athletes who currently take asthma inhalers (beta 2 agonists) will be required to seek a full TUE involving a significantly higher level of medical detail. Lower level athletes will be permitted to seek a retrospective TUE in the event of an adverse analytical finding.
- Registered Testing Pool (RTP): Missed Tests & Filing Failures: The Council is creating a more focused RTP in order to make it more strategic and to place a greater emphasis on intelligence based target testing. There will be new whereabouts requirements which will make athletes significantly more accountable for their availability for testing. The new rules will also involve sanctions for combined missed tests and filing failures.
- Sample Analysis: The Rules have been amended to clarify the Council's right to collect samples for the purpose of biological profiling and also to confirm the Council's right to reanalyse samples if appropriate.
- Results Management: The Rules now provides greater clarity with regards to tests carried out on international athletes competing at Irish events.
- Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary and Appeal Panels: There are nine panel members on the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel and six panel members on the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Appeal Panel. Under the new Rules the Panels will be interchangeable.
- Data Privacy: A new section has been added to the rules on data privacy which strengthens the protection of privacy for those involved in the anti-doping process.
- Education and Research: The Rules have been extended considerably to define in clearer terms how education and research programmes should be dealt with within the national anti-doping programme.
- Roles and responsibilities: A new section has been added clarifying the roles and responsibilities of NGBs and participants.