Anti-Doping Rule Violations

We test for the presence of substances, drugs and medications listed on the prohibited list. We also tests for markers or other chemicals that indicate a prohibited substance has been used. 

It is each athlete’s personal responsibility to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his or her body. Athletes are responsible for any prohibited substance found in their sample.

A positive test is enough to establish a ‘Presence’ anti-doping rule violation. It is not necessary to show that an athlete:

• had intent
• was at fault
• was negligent
• knowingly used a prohibited substance.

More information on testing procedures.

We have the power to investigate the possible use or attempted use of prohibited substances or prohibited methods.

An athlete may use or attempt to use a prohibited substance or method and not get caught through the testing program. If we find enough evidence, we can still sanction them.

A ‘Use or Attempted Use’ anti-doping rule violation can be established by any reliable means, such as:

• admissions
• witness statements
• documentary evidence
• data or other analytical information.

Check your substances

If an athlete refuses or fails to submit to testing without compelling justification, they can be sanctioned. If an athlete evades testing, they can also be sanctioned.

An athlete cannot deliberately avoid being tested once they are notified.

The sanction for this can be just as serious as if an athlete tested positive for a prohibited substance.

More information on testing procedures.

Athletes who are part of the registered testing pool need to let us know where they are going to be, at specific times. This is so we can perform testing with no advanced notice.

If athletes in the registered testing pool do not provide current and accurate whereabouts information, they may incur a declaration of a missed test, or a filing failure. This is sometimes called a ‘strike’.

If an athlete gets 3 strikes in a 12 month period, this is an anti-doping rule violation and the athlete can be sanctioned.

More information on whereabouts.

More information on testing pools.

Any attempt to interfere in the Results Management process in any way can lead to sanctions.

Tampering includes:

• intentionally interfering or attempting to interfere with a doping control official
• providing fraudulent information to an anti-doping organisation
• intimidating or attempting to intimidate a potential witness.

Some examples of tampering include:

• altering identification numbers on a doping control form during testing
• breaking the bottle at the time of sample analysis
• altering a sample by adding a foreign substance
• giving a false statement, evidence or documents in an anti-doping investigation.

More information on testing.

Athletes and support persons can be sanctioned for possessing prohibited substances or methods. This is the case even if they have not taken the prohibited substance or used the prohibited method.

If an athlete needs to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method for health reasons, they should apply for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE).

More information on TUEs.

We work closely with Australian Border Force and other law enforcement agencies to investigate trafficking of prohibited drugs, medications and substances, and prohibited methods.

Athletes, support persons and non-participants can receive a sanction for being involved in the trafficking of prohibited substances or methods. This can include supplying substances to people who are not athletes.

If an athlete, support person or non-participant administers or attempts to administer any prohibited method or substance to an athlete, we can sanction them. This will prevent them from being involved in sport or with athletes.

An example of an ‘Administration’ anti-doping rule violation might be where a support person:

• provides
• supplies
• supervises
• facilitates
• or otherwise participates in, the use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method by an athlete.

If a person is aware that someone intends or attempts to violate an anti-doping rule, or if a person tries to cover up someone’s an anti-doping rule violation, we can sanction that person for complicit behaviour.

Complicit behaviour includes:

• assisting
• encouraging
• aiding
• abetting
• conspiring
• covering up
• or any other type of intentional complicity, involving any anti-doping rule violation or attempted anti-doping rule violation.

Athletes, support persons and non-participants are not allowed to work with any support person who:

• is serving a sanction for a doping violation, or
• is not subject to a sport’s anti-doping policy but has been criminally convicted or professionally disciplined in relation to doping.

For example, some types of association which are prohibited include:

• obtaining training, strategy, technique, nutrition or medical advice
• obtaining therapy, treatment or prescriptions.

WADA publishes a global list of athlete support personnel who are currently suspended from working with athletes or other people on its website.

From 1 January 2021, a new anti-doping rule violation came into effect that makes it an offence to discourage or retaliate against someone for reporting information relating to doping activities. For example, an athlete witnesses their teammate using a prohibited substance and the athlete’s teammate threatens to harm the athlete if they tell the authorities. In this example the teammate can be sanctioned for discouraging reporting to authorities.