Clean Sport

Tennis player on court for clean sport

All athletes have the right to compete in sport knowing that they, and their competitors, are clean. Tennis Scotland believes in clean sport and the principles of athletes being able to say, it is ‘100%me’. Tennis Scotland works in partnership with UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), sportscotland and the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) to ensure the integrity of tennis is maintained and to protect the health and rights of all tennis players. The use of performance-enhancing drugs and other doping behaviour severely damages the legitimacy of sport and undermines the integrity of clean tennis players.

Anti-Doping Rules Anti-Doping Rules addremove

Tennis has in place a set of anti-doping rules that all players, coaches and athlete support personnel must abide by. The anti-doping rules for Tennis Scotland are consistent with the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code), which governs anti-doping internationally. 

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is a signatory to the WADA Code. The LTA is a member of the ITF. Tennis Scotland is an affiliate of the LTA. The LTA Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is adopted and implemented in accordance with the mandatory provisions of the WADA Code, of the ITF’'s own anti-doping rules, and the Rules of the LTA and the Disciplinary Code of the LTA, as part of the continuing efforts of the tennis authorities to keep doping out of the sport of tennis. Together, these form the Tennis Scotland anti-doping rules. 

UK Anti-Doping Rules published by UK Anti-Doping (or its successor), as amended from time to time. Such rules shall take effect and be construed as the rules of Tennis Scotland.

You can find the UK Anti-Doping Rules here.

If you are involved in tennis at any level and in any form, these rules apply to you regardless of age, or whether you are competing, coaching or supporting players.

UKAD is responsible for ensuring sports bodies in the UK are compliant with the WADA Code through the implementation and management of the UK’s National Anti-Doping Policy.

 

Tennis has in place a set of anti-doping rules that all players, coaches and athlete support personnel must abide by. The anti-doping rules for Tennis Scotland are consistent with the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code), which governs anti-doping internationally.

 

The International Tennis Federation (ITF) is a signatory to the WADA Code. The LTA is a member of the ITF. Tennis Scotland is an affiliate of the LTA. The LTA Tennis Anti-Doping Programme is adopted and implemented in accordance with the mandatory provisions of the WADA Code, of the ITF’'s own anti-doping rules, and the Rules of the LTA and the Disciplinary Code of the LTA, as part of the continuing efforts of the tennis authorities to keep doping out of the sport of tennis. Together, these form the Tennis Scotland anti-doping rules.

 

UK Anti-Doping Rules published by UK Anti-Doping (or its successor), as amended from time to time. Such rules shall take effect and be construed as the rules of Tennis Scotland.

 

You can find the UK Anti-Doping Rules here.

 

If you are involved in tennis at any level and in any form, these rules apply to you regardless of age, or whether you are competing, coaching or supporting players.

 

UKAD is responsible for ensuring sports bodies in the UK are compliant with the WADA Code through the implementation and management of the UK’s National Anti-Doping Policy.

 

100% Me – Supporting Athletes to be Clean 100% Me – Supporting Athletes to be Clean addremove

100% me is UK Anti-Doping’s education programme for athletes – designed to provide information resources, education sessions and general advice to athletes throughout their sporting careers. Find out about 100% me in the dedicated Athlete Zone of the UKAD website.

What is Strict Liability? What is Strict Liability? addremove

All athletes need to be aware of the principle of strict liability. This means that all athletes are solely responsible for any banned substance they use, attempt to use, or that is found in their system, regardless of how it got there and whether or not they had an intention to cheat.

It is crucial that athletes check all medications are safe to take prior to use. Medications can be checked online via Global DRO.

Athletes must undertake thorough internet research of any supplement products before use – including the name of the product and the ingredients/substances listed. Information revealed as a result should be further investigated and we advise athletes to keep evidence of their search.

What are the Anti-Doping Rule Violations? What are the Anti-Doping Rule Violations? addremove

There are ten Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs). Athletes, Coaches and Support Personnel, may receive a ban from sport if any of the following ADRVs are committed:

  • Presence
  • Use
  • Evading, refusing
  • Whereabouts failures
  • Tampering or attempted tampering
  • Possession
  • Trafficking or attempted trafficking
  • Administration, aiding, abetting
  • Complicity
  • Prohibited Association

All 10 ADRVs apply to athletes and six (in bold) apply to coaches and support personnel.

Clean Sport Habits Clean Sport Habits addremove

There are no shortcuts to clean sporting success. You need to learn and apply some useful clean sport habits to train and compete clean. Every top athlete will have experience moments when they are vulnerable and not performing their best. How athletes deal with these moments can have a significant effect on their future sporting careers.

What you need to know

  • In anti-doping, athletes are responsible for their actions: including what they eat and drink. This is the principle of ‘strict liability’.
  • Did you know that any athlete can be tested, any time, and any place?
  • Medications prescribed by a doctor or bought over the counter at a pharmacy can contain banned substances
  • Many athletes fail tests due to their use of supplements, or because they didn’t know that social drugs are banned too.

What that means for you

All athletes face the risks of inadvertent doping simply from testing positive due to the use of a medication or a supplement.

You have a responsibility to make sure that anything you eat, and drink is safe to do so and does not contain any banned substances. Developing good clean sport habits now will help you in the future.

You need to fully understand the Anti-Doping Rules and the consequences of behaving in line with these rules - and importantly the values of clean sport.

Further advice on Clean Sport Habits is available here.

Consequences of Doping Consequences of Doping addremove

For Anti-Doping Rule Violations of presence or use of a prohibited substance, the basic rules are as follows:

  • Those who are found to be deliberately cheating and breaking the rules, whatever the substance, face a four year ban from sport.
  • The WADA Code has little sympathy for carelessness – for inadvertent doping, athletes are more likely to face a two-year ban from sport.
  • If the violation involved specified substance or a contaminated product, and you can demonstrate you had no significant fault, ineligibility may range from two years to a reprimand (depending on your level of fault).

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.

Players can help to protect tennis by providing the UKAD intelligence team with information. Find out more on how to protect your sport here.

The Prohibited List The Prohibited List addremove

All banned substances and methods in Code-compliant sports are outlined in the Prohibited List, which is updated at the beginning of every calendar year, but may also be updated throughout the year. The latest Prohibited List can be found on the WADA website.

Understanding the Importance of Checking Medicines Understanding the Importance of Checking Medicines addremove

Before taking any medication (whether from a doctor or bought over the counter) athletes must check to make sure it does not contain any banned substances. Medications can be checked online at Global DRO. It is important to note that medications bought in one country may contain different ingredients to the same branded medication in another country.

Know the Risks with Nutritional Supplements Know the Risks with Nutritional Supplements addremove

Athletes are strongly advised to be very cautious if they choose to take any supplement such as vitamin tablets, energy drinks, or sport-nutrition formulas. This is because there is no guarantee that any supplement is free from banned substances.

Before deciding to use supplements all athletes are advised to:

  • assess the need to use supplements by seeking advice from a medical professional or nutritionist on their need to use supplement products
  • assess the risks associated with supplements and undertake thorough research of all supplement products they are considering taking
  • assess the consequences to their careers – they could receive a four-year ban

However, supplement risks can be reduced by:

  • undertaking thorough internet research
  • only using batch-tested products
  • checking on Informed-Sport (which is a risk minimisation programme) that the supplement has been batch tested

Visit the UKAD website for further information including information on the Informed Sport programme, which provides a batch-testing service for supplement products.

Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) addremove

Athletes can obtain approval to use a prescribed banned substance or method for the treatment of a legitimate medical condition by applying for a TUE. They must be able to provide medical evidence to confirm their diagnosis and prescription, and reference that there are no reasonable alternative medications.

  • International-level athletes (as defined by their International Federation) need to apply to their International Federation for a TUE
  • Athletes competing at National level need to apply to UKAD for a TUE

TUEs approved by UKAD, unless stated otherwise, are valid at national level only. If an athlete is competing at international events, a UKAD TUE will not be valid unless it is first recognised by the relevant International Federation or Major Event Organisation. Athletes should notify the relevant body of this as soon as possible prior to competing.

Athletes listed under the ‘National’ category for their sport must apply for their TUE in advance. The ‘National’ category for TUEs is defined by UKAD by sport and can be found on UKAD’s website here. Only in an emergency situation or where there will be a severe impact on health should treatment begin without the necessary approval. Athletes not listed in the ‘National’ category would only need to apply for a TUE retroactively should they be tested and their sample return an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF).

You can find out more about whether you need a TUE and how to apply for one (including emergency TUEs) on the UKAD website here.

What Happens in a Test? What Happens in a Test? addremove

Athletes should feel prepared and know their rights and responsibilities when they are notified to be tested by a Chaperone or Doping Control Officer. When selected for testing, athletes should take a representative with them to the Doping Control Station.

A urine test will follow these main steps:

  • Notification
  • Reporting to Doping Control Station
  • Providing a sample
  • Recording and certifying sample information

UK Anti-Doping recommends that athletes follow their normal hydration routines if selected for testing.

Athletes need to be prepared to provide details of any substances they have taken – this needs to be written on the Doping Control form. Athletes should report any concerns they have about the process or the equipment on the Doping Control form.

Athletes can find out more about testing, including their rights and responsibilities, in the Athlete Zone or by downloading the Clean Sport App from their app store.

Useful Links & Resources Useful Links & Resources addremove

100% me Elite Athlete Clean Sport App for Smartphones
For essential anti-doping information download the Clean Sport App from iTunes, Google Play or Windows Live Store– the sport specific or the generic version.

Check Your Medications on Global DRO
Remember to check all medications on Global DRO, where you can search by ingredients or brand name.

Assess the Risk of Supplements on Informed Sport
You can find information on supplements and ways of reducing the risks on Informed Sport.

For More Information from UKAD:

Key Contacts Key Contacts addremove

Tennis Scotland
Telephone: +44 (0)1786 641 716
Email: info@tennisscotland.org

Lawn Tennis Association
Telephone: +44 (0)208 487 7000
Email: anti-doping@lta.org.uk

UK Anti-Doping
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7842 3450
Email: ukad@ukad.org.uk
Website: www.ukad.org.uk

Reporting Doping
Telephone: 08000 32 23 32
Website: Protect your sport
or submit a form: submit information to UK Anti-Doping via a secure online form.

Updated: 10th March 2020
Tennis Scotland, Airthrey Castle, Hermitage Road, Stirling, FK9 4LA - Tel: 01786 641 716