ANTI DOPING – PADDLE CLEAN
All athletes have the right to compete in sport knowing that they, and their competitors, are clean. Paddle Northern Ireland believe in clean sport and work in partnership with Paddle UK, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD), Sport NI, the International Canoe Federation (ICF) and International Rafting Federation (IRF) to ensure that the integrity of our sport is protected.
Anti-Doping Rules
With regard to Anti-Doping, Paddle Northern Ireland defers to the jurisdiction of Paddle UK which has in place a set of anti-doping rules that all athletes and athlete support personnel must abide by . The anti-doping rules for Paddle UK are consistent with the World Anti-Doping Code, the core document that harmonises anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport globally.
The anti-doping rules of Paddle UK are the UK Anti-Doping Rules published by UK Anti-Doping (UKAD). Such rules take effect and can be construed as the rules of Paddle UK and therefore Paddle Northern Ireland. If you are a member of Paddle Northern Ireland then the anti-doping rules apply to you, regardless of what level you participate at. You can find the UK Anti-Doping Rules linked here.
If athletes represent Ireland they must comply with the Sport Ireland Anti-Doping Programme and Irish Anti-Doping Rules.
World Anti-Doping Code
Since 1 January 2021, a new version of the World Anti-Doping Code has been in effect and it's important that all athletes and athlete support personnel are aware of how this impacts them. For more information on the changes within the 2021 Code, you can visit UKAD's website section here.
Under the 2021 Code, an athlete may be classified as being “International-Level”, “National-Level” or a “Recreational Athlete” based on their competition level. Further information on these different categories is available on the UKAD website section linked here.
Some Key Anti-Doping Considerations
Below are some of the most asked about areas of Anti-Doping. Simply click or tap to expand each section.
ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATIONS
Breaking the anti-doping rules can result in a ban from all sport. The Code outlines the Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs).
Athletes and athlete support personnel need to make sure they are fully aware of these violations, and the consequences of breaking them.
For more information and what this means for those individuals, follow this link to the UKAD website. For information on individuals serving a ban from sport, visit UKAD's sanction page on their website.
THE ATHLETE IS RESPONSIBLE
An athlete is responsible for anything found in their system, regardless of how it got there or whether there is any intention to cheat. All athletes and athlete support personnel should make themselves aware of the risks, so they don't receive an unintentional ban from sport. Useful information for athletes can be found on the UKAD website linked here.
THE PROHIBITED LIST
All banned substances and methods in Code-compliant sports are outlined in the Prohibited List. Substances and methods can be added to the Prohibited List at any time. However, it is updated as a minimum once a year, coming into effect on 1 January. The latest Prohibited List can be found on the WADA website page linked here. As this list is updated frequently, athletes and athlete support personnel should make sure they check it regularly for any changes. More information can be found on UKAD's website here linked here.
CHECKING MEDICATIONS
Before taking any medication (whether from a doctor or purchased over the counter), athletes must check to make sure it doesn't contain any banned substances.
Medications (ingredients or brand name) can be checked online at Global Dro website linked here.
It is important to note that medications bought in one country may contain different ingredients to the same branded medication in another country. For more information on checking medications, visit https://www.ukad.org.uk/checking-medications
TAKING NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS
UKAD always advises a food first approach to nutrition, as there are no guarantees that any supplement product is free from banned substances.
Athletes can support their training and progress towards their targets by eating and enjoying nutritious food. With a bit of planning, it is possible to eat a delicious and healthy diet made up of a variety of food types at the right time, and in the right quantities.
Athletes should assess the need, the risks and the consequences before deciding to take a supplement, and if they need to use one. Visit the Informed Sport website linked here to check whether supplements have been batch-tested.
More advice on managing supplement risks can be found on UKAD's Supplement Hub linked here.
APPLYING FOR A THERAPEUTIC USE EXEMPTION (TUE)
If an athlete with a legitimate medical condition needs to use a prohibited substance or method, they will need to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). This is only accepted if there are no other suitable permitted medications or treatments that can be used, and there is a strict, detailed process to determine this. Athletes can find out more information about the TUE process on the UKAD website linked here and use the TUE Wizard linked here to find out whether they need to apply for a TUE and who to submit their application to.
What happens in a test
Athletes should feel prepared and know their rights and responsibilities when they are notified to be tested by a Chaperone or Doping Control Officer. Athletes can find out more in the at UKAD’s Introduction to Testing page linked here.
View the UKAD video below to learn more about the testing process.
Watch video here: https://youtu.be/XzOnQBK_YZo
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Athlete Retirement
Should an athlete wish to retire from international and/or national competition then they can formally retire and seek removal from ICF testing pools. If you wish to retire or discuss the options please contact the Anti-Doping team who can share the ICF and UKAD forms with you.
Education, Protecting Sport, and Resources
Below you will find a range of information about Anti-Doping education, steps too report any infringements of Anti-Doping rules and further resources of interest to clubs, parents/guardians and young athletes. Simply click or tap on the relevant tab. The default is education.
