8th January 2015

Wada Code Changes For 2015

2015 has seen a number of changes to the rules and regulations set out by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Make sure you’re up to speed…

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is responsible for leading the collaborative world-wide campaign for clean sport. Established in 1999 as an independent agency and funded by both sport and governments, it manages the development of the World Anti-Doping Code. The Code aims to harmonise all anti-doping policies ensuring that athletes and athlete support personnel are treated fairly and consistently.

The aims of the 2015 Code are to:

Protect the athletes’ fundamental rights to participate in doping-free sport and thus promote health, fairness and equality for athletes worldwide.

Ensure harmonised, coordinated and effective anti-doping programmes at the international and national level with regard to detection, deterrence and prevention of doping.

The 2015 Code also outlines ten Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs). Athletes and Athlete Support Personnel (ASP) may receive a ban from sport if any of the following ADRVs are committed:

  • Returning a positive test
  • Using, or attempting to use, a banned substance or method
  • Refusal or failure to provide a sample when requested
  • Tampering, or attempting to tamper, with any part of the testing process
  • Possession of a banned substance or method
  • Trafficking, or attempted trafficking, of any banned substance or method
  • Administering, or attempted administering, of a banned substance or method to an athlete; or encouragement, aiding and/or covering up of any involvement in an ADRV
  • Receiving any combination of three filing failures and/or missed tests in a time period of 18 months (for athletes who are part of the National Registered Testing Pool)
  • Complicity (new from 1 Jan 2015)
  • Prohibited Association (new from 1 Jan 2015)

*all ten ADRVs apply to athletes. Only the ADRVs in bold apply to ASP.

Under the 2015 Code, a minimum four-year ban from sport will apply to those who are found to be deliberately cheating and breaking the rules.

The 2015 Code has little sympathy for carelessness – for inadvertent doping, athletes are more likely to face a two-year ban from sport. All athletes, coaches and athlete support personnel need to make sure they have sufficient anti-doping knowledge to avoid committing an ADRV and receiving a ban from sport.

Find out more about the 2015 Code in the dedicated microsite by clicking here.