Athlete testing

 

Testing

A Sport Integrity Australia official (or an accredited official acting on behalf of Sport Integrity Australia) may require you to provide a sample at any time and at any place.

An athlete may commit an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) and may receive a sanction for evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection during or after they are notified. The penalty for evading, refusing or failing to provide a sample upon a valid request may be the same as providing a sample that contains a prohibited substance.

Our doping control program complies with the following:

• World-Anti-Doping Code
• International Standard for Testing and Investigation (ISTI)
• Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020
• Sport Integrity Australia Regulations 2020 including the National Anti‑Doping (NAD) scheme.

We can test either in-competition or out-of-competition. We can test at an athlete’s training venue or home address. We can test with No Advance Notice and sample collection can include the collection of urine, blood or both. 

Testing process

Athlete Guide to Sample Collection

Athletes being tested are given the Athlete Guide to Sample Collection [PDF 2.6MB]

 

What happens to my sample?

Every sample you provide is collected, analysed and investigated according to international rules set out in the World Anti-Doping Code. These rules are designed to protect your rights, and ensure the process is the same no matter where you are tested in the world.

See the What happens to my sample infographic [PDF] to explore the journey your sample takes from collection to storage.

 

Testing pools (who can be tested)

Sport Integrity Australia has 3 categories of Testing Pools:

1. Registered Testing Pool (RTP)
2. National Testing Pool (NTP)
3. Domestic Testing Pool (DTP)

Athletes in the RTP, NTP and DTP may be subject to both in-competition and out-of-competition sample collection. Any other athlete who meets the definition of 'athlete' under the Sport Integrity Australia Act 2020 and Sport Integrity Australia Regulations 2020, may also be subject to testing.

Sport Integrity Australia is the final decision maker in placing athletes in Testing Pools. Consideration for inclusion in Testing Pools is in accordance with the International Standard for Testing and Investigations as published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

We do not disclose the reasons for including a particular athlete in a RTP, NTP or DTP as it may affect the effectiveness of the doping control program.

How do you get in the Registered Testing Pool or National Testing Pool?

The decision by Sport Integrity Australia, a national sporting organisation, or International Federation to include an athlete in a Registered Testing Pool or National Testing Pool is based on a number of factors. These may include:

• Athletes identified by Sport Integrity Australia and/or National Sporting Organisation for inclusion.
• An athlete’s sport performance history (including sudden performance improvement).
• Athletes moving from an International Federation RTP.
• Athletes who retired while in a RTP or NTP and wish to return to competition.
• Injury or return from injury or any period of inactivity from other causes.
• Consistent inaccurate whereabouts information.
• Athlete reinstatement after a Period of Ineligibility (i.e. sanctioned athlete).
• Athletes who frequently move from one location to another.
• Physical demands of sport and possible performance enhancing benefits that doping may elicit.
• Athletes who fail to comply with Testing Pool requirements.
• Sport Integrity Australia Intelligence information (i.e. absence from expected competition, science data, reliable information from a third party, etc.).
• National teams/squads.
• Training periods and competition season.
• Athletes who are serving Periods of Ineligibility, or provisional suspensions as a consequence of possible anti-doping rule violations.
• Subject to agreement from time to time with the relevant International Federation.

Domestic Testing Pool athletes

Sport Integrity Australia bases the decision to include an athlete in the DTP on a number of factors relating to an athlete and the sport.

The DTP mostly contains athletes who are in national senior teams or squads (or the equivalent level, depending on the structure of the sport).

Other factors for inclusion in the DTP include:

• Elite junior-level athletes on the cusp of senior competition.
• Athletes who meet one or more of the factors for the RTP/NTP inclusion but are not included on these testing pools.

 

Information on retirement and reinstatement can be found on the whereabouts page.

 

Athlete Rights and Responsibilities

Rights

Once an athlete has been requested to undergo sample collection, the athlete has the right to:

• see the identification of the Doping Control Officer (DCO)
• ask for additional information about the sample collection process
• be informed of the authority under which the sample collection is to be conducted
• be informed of the type of sample collection and any conditions that need to be adhered to prior to the sample collection
• hydrate (unless the sample provided does not meet the requirement for suitable specific gravity for analysis)
• have a representative present
• have an interpreter, if available
• request modifications if the athlete has an impairment
• be informed of their rights and responsibilities
• document any concerns about the process
• receive a copy of the records of the sample collection session
• request a delay in reporting to the doping control station for valid reasons.

A valid delay for In-Competition testing can include:

• performing a warm down
• competing in further competitions
• fulfilment of media commitments
• participating in a presentation ceremony
• obtaining necessary medical treatment
• obtaining photo identification
• locating a representative and/or interpreter
• any other reasonable circumstances as approved by the Doping Control Officer

A valid delay for Out-of-Competition testing can include:

• locating a representative
• completing a training session
• receiving necessary medical treatment
• obtaining photo identification
• any other reasonable circumstances as approved by the Doping Control Officer.

A Doping Control Officer may reject any of these athlete rights if an athlete cannot be chaperoned throughout the whole process. This is important to ensure the integrity of the process is maintained.  

Responsibilities

Once an athlete has been requested to undergo sample collection, the athlete has a responsibility to:

• remain within direct observation of the Doping Control Officer or Chaperone at all times from the point of notification until the completion of the sample collection procedure
• provide their first sample for collection
• produce appropriate identification
• comply with the directions of the Doping Control Officer and Chaperone during the sample collection session
• report immediately for sample collection, unless there is a valid reason for a delay.

 

Results management

A positive test - what happens next?

We may be advised by a WADA-accredited laboratory that an athlete's ‘A’ sample has recorded an adverse analytical finding. This could be the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers, or evidence of use of a prohibited method on the WADA Prohibited List.

If a review does not show that the athlete has an applicable Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) or is entitled to a TUE, then we will notify the athlete.

If the athlete's ‘A’ sample, whether urine or blood (where an ‘A’ and ‘B’ sample were collected) returns an adverse analytical finding, the athlete will have the right to have the ‘B’ sample analysed to confirm the result.

If the athlete's ‘A’ sample returns an adverse analytical finding and the athlete has waived their right to have the ‘B’ sample analysed, Sport Integrity Australia can elect to analyse the ‘B’ sample.

Athlete Biological Passport

We collect urine and blood samples in accordance with WADA’s Athlete Biological Passport Guidelines. If, following the review of an athlete’s profile, we consider further investigations are required, we may contact the athlete for more information.

 

Storing samples

We can store samples in a deep freeze facility for up to ten years. We can retrospectively analyse the samples to detect prohibited substances and methods and enforce sanctions against athletes.

 

Been tested and have feedback

If you've been tested by Sport Integrity Australia and want to pass on feedback about your testing experience, fill in our online Anti-Doping testing feedback form.