Q: What are TUEs? 

A: Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) are part of the new World Anti Doping Code.  The code is meant to harmonise anti-doping rules across sports and countries.  An important part of the Code is the harmonisation of granting TUE Certificates to athletes. 

Q: Why would an athlete need a TUE Certificate? 

A: Athletes, like all other, may have illnesses or conditions that require them to take particular medications.  The substances they may be required to take may happen to fall under the Prohibited List.  However, by obtaining a TUE Certificate they are able to take the needed medicine with this proper authorization from their international federation or national anti-doping agency.  According to WADA’s Science Director, Olivier Rabin, “an athlete with a particular medical condition should not be penalized for taking a prohibited substance on the List for validated and approved medical reasons, if no other alternative exists.  The TUE will avoid an athletes being declared positive when the substance is detected in the samples.  This is why the TUE process is such an important part of an anti-doping programme.”

Q: Who should apply for a TUE Certificate? 

A: There are 2 reasons why an athlete should complete the TUE form and apply for a TUE certificate:

1. If an athlete has an illness or condition which can only be managed or cured with a drug on the Prohibited List, and there is no alternative; and

2. If an athlete will be competing in any ITU event: World Cup, World Championships, Regional Championships, International or Continental event.  This includes the World Championships and Under 23 and Junior Category. 

Q: Do Age Group or AWAD competitors in ITU events need to be concerned about TUE Certificate? 

A: No, not for ITU events.  However, age group and AWAD athletes need to contact their National Federation to find out about NF policy on TUE.

Q: In the past, athletes with asthma required a note from their doctor – that is all that was required by ITU for a TUE.  Why has this process changed? 

A: The process for granting a TUE has varied greatly across sports.  Some federations have had systems in place through which athletes could require TUEs, while others did not.  Under the Code, WADA has issued an international standard for granting TUEs.  The standard states that International Federations (IFs) and national anti-doping organizations must now have a process in place where athletes with documented medical conditions can request a TUE.

International federations are responsible for accepting application forms and granting TUEs to international level athletes and any other athlete that is entered in an international event.  National anti-doping organizations will be responsible for granting TUEs to all athletes that do not fall under the jurisdiction of the federation but are still a member of that country’s registered testing pool.

Q: If an athlete has a TUE certificate from the NOC or National Doping Agency, will ITU honor that certificate. 

A: Yes, provided the athlete’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) or National Doping Agency has already signed the WADA Harmonisation Agreement.

Q: What is WADA’s role in the TUE process? 

A: WADA has 2 key roles: 

1. WADA reserves the right to monitor and review any TUE granted by an international federation or national anti-doping agency. 

2. Athletes who requested a TUE and were denied can appeal the decision to WADA.  If WADA determines that a denial of the TUE did not comply with the international standard, the agency can reverse the decision.

Q: What is the make-up of the “ITU Panel of Experts” that will review the TUE applications and either grant or deny the TUE certificate?

A: ITU is fortunate in a couple of ways when it comes to questions related to Doping:

1. ITU was one of the first IFs to sign the WADA Harmonisation Agreement and as such we have a strong relationship with all of the various programmes within WADA.  We are also fortunate because the headquarters of ITU is situated in the country which houses the WADA Headquarters.  As such we have direct, regular communication with WADA.  As well, ITU Headquarters, since the awarding of the 2010 Olympic Games to Vancouver is now located in an “Olympic City.”  At least one of the panel members will be a scientist or physician from these partners of ITU. 

2. ITU Medical Committee: There is already an ITU Doping Commission which works with the ITU Medical Committee.  This includes a strong team of physicians and scientists who supervise this area – one member of the panel will be appointed from the ITU Doping Commission.

5. ITU President: Les McDonald has taken a keen interest in this area of the sport.  He will act as the de factor chair of the ITU TUE Review Panel.

Q: How quickly will the TUE forms be processed by the ITU Panel of Experts? 

A: As soon as a form is received it will be copied to the ITU Panel of Experts.  The matter will be managed in a efficient manner prior to the ITU event that the athletes has entered.  If an athlete is denied a TUE certificate, the IF will honor the athletes TUE form during the appeal process.

Q: WADA required ITU to identify a “pool” of athletes who will be the target of out-of competition testing.  How will ITU identify the “pool”? 

A: Leslie Buchanan, the Technical Director of ITU is charged with the management of this matter.  She is in collaboration with Enrique Quesada, ITU Rankings Manager to keep WADA informed of the current “pool”.  Essentially there are 3 elements to the “pool”:

1. Athletes Ranked in the top 125 who are competing in an ITU event in the coming 30 days

2. Athletes who show an established percentage rise on the World Rankings over a given period of time.

3. Ranking lists created by the ITU Doping Commission.