Prohibited Association is one of the 11 Anti-Doping Rule Violations. It aims to prevent people who have broken anti-doping rules from negatively influencing athletes and others in sport.
What is Prohibited Association?
Under Prohibited Association, athletes and other members of sport are not allowed to knowingly associate with anyone in a professional or sport-related context who is serving an anti-doping sanction.
This also applies to associating with anyone who has been found guilty of a criminal or disciplinary offence equivalent to a doping violation, for example the sale or supply of performance enhancing drugs.
Prohibited Association applies to all people bound by a sport’s anti-doping policy, such as athletes, coaches, support staff, officials and administrators.
Anyone who commits Prohibited Association risks a ban of up to 2 years.
Association types
Examples of association types that are prohibited include:
- Receiving coaching
- Obtaining therapy
- Obtaining training
- Obtaining treatment or prescriptions
- Obtaining nutrition or medical advice
- Obtaining advice regarding strategy or technique
- Allowing the athlete support person to serve as an agent or representative
Prohibited Association applies to interactions that are in-person and online, including online coaching seminars or online exercise programs.
Protect yourself
All athletes and members of sport should be aware of who they are associating with in a professional or sports-related capacity, by:
- Checking the list of people currently serving sanctions in Australia
- Checking the Prohibited Association List on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) website
- Checking the sanction list on the person’s National Anti-Doping Organisation website or International Federation (for example, if they are a foreign national competing in Australia)
- Googling any new trainers or coaches for any association with performance enhancing drugs
- Contacting us on the Safe Sport Hotline 1800 161 361
Prohibited Association factsheet
