Anti-Doping Policy

UTMB events are celebrations of trail running and also the embodiment of certain values and principles that guide the sport - like respect for environment, solidarity and community, personal achievement and fair play (honesty / fun / joy / teamwork / dedication / respect), safety, authenticity, and inclusivity. These values enhance the experience of the UTMB events and help guide the development and conduct of the sport of trail running. These principles reflect the ethos of the trail running community and its profound connection with nature and integrity.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is the independent international body responsible for harmonising anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries. The World Anti-Doping Code is the core document that harmonises anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organisations around the world. The Code is supplemented by eight International Standards, including the Prohibited List that is updated at least annually.

UTMB World Series in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code, is committed to implementing an effective and Code-compliant anti-doping program for the sport of Trail running races in the UTMB World Series.

The UTMB World Series has its own set of anti-doping rules and it is important that those involved in the series are familiar with them. These rules can be found here.

The UTMB World Series has delegated the management of its clean sport activities to the International Testing Agency (ITA), an independent organisation that manages anti-doping programs on behalf of International Federations and Major Event Organisers.

Rights and Responsibilities
Athletes, Athlete Support Personnel and other groups who are subject to anti-doping rules all have rights and responsibilities under the World Anti-Doping Code. Part Three of the Code outlines these for each stakeholder in the anti-doping system.
It is especially important that athletes and Athlete Support Personnel know and understand Code Art. 21 (Additional Roles and Responsibilities of Athletes and Other Persons), particularly Art. 21.1 (Roles and Responsibilities of Athletes), Art. 21.2 (Roles and Responsibilities of Athlete Support Personnel) and Art. 21.3 (Roles and Responsibilities of Other Persons Subject to the Code).

Athletes’ Rights This section presents a summary of the key athlete rights. It is important that both athletes and Athlete Support Personnel know and understand these.

Ensuring that athletes are aware of their rights and these are respected is vital to the success of clean sport. Athlete rights exist throughout the Code and International Standards and they include:

• Equality of opportunity
• Equitable and Fair Testing programs
• Medical treatment and protection of health rights
• Right to justice
• Right to accountability
• Whistleblower rights
• Right to education
• Right to data protection
• Rights to compensation
• Protected Persons Rights
• Rights during a Sample Collection Session
• Right to B sample analysis
• Other rights and freedoms not affected
• Application and standing

The Athletes’ Anti-Doping Rights Act sets out these rights and responsibilities. For more information, you can refer directly to the document here: Athletes’ Anti-Doping Rights Act.

Athletes’ Responsibilities It is equally important that athletes are aware of their anti-doping responsibilities. Athlete Support Personnel should also familiarise themselves with these in order to be able to support their athletes. These include:

• Knowing and following (UTMB World Series anti-doping rules) and any other applicable Anti-Doping Rules (for example, those of Major Event Organisations)
• Taking full responsibility for what you ingest – make sure that no prohibited substance enters your body and that no prohibited methods are used
• Informing medical personnel of your obligations as an athlete
• Cooperating with UTMB World Series and the Anti-Doping Organisations (WADA, ITA, NADOs)
• Being available for sample collection
• Not working with coaches, trainers, physicians or other Athlete Support Personnel who are ineligible on account of an ADRV, or who have been criminally convicted or disciplined in relation to doping (see WADA’s Prohibited Association List)

Further details of these roles and responsibilities can be found in Code Art. 21.1. Athletes also have specific rights and responsibilities during the Doping Control Process. Please refer to the corresponding section for more information on this.

Rights and Responsibilities of Athlete Support Personnel and other groups Like athletes, Athlete Support Personnel and others under the jurisdiction of UTMB World Series also have rights and responsibilities as per the Code. These include:

• Being knowledgeable of anti-doping policies and rules which are applicable to you or the athlete(s) you support
• Using your influence on athlete values and behaviours to foster anti-doping attitudes
• Complying with all anti-doping policies and rules which are applicable to you and the athlete(s) you support
• Cooperating with the athlete testing program
• Cooperating with anti-doping organisations investigating ADRVs

Further details of these roles and responsibilities can be found in Code Art. 21.2 and 21.3.

In anti-doping, the principle of Strict Liability applies – if it is in the athlete’s body, the athlete is responsible for it.
This means that every athlete is solely responsible for everything they use and that is found in their body, regardless of whether there was an intention to cheat or not, or if the athlete is at fault . Therefore, it is vital that athletes and Athlete Support Personnel know the rules and understand their responsibilities under the Code.
Athletes must know and understand the Prohibited List and with the risks associated with supplement use. More information on the Prohibited List, medications and supplements is available in the Prohibited List, Medications & Supplements section.

Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the following Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs) in line with Code Art. 2 (Anti-Doping Rule Violations):

1. Presence of a prohibited substance in an Athlete’s sample
2. Use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or method
3. Evading, refusing, or failing to submit to sample collection
4. Whereabouts failures by an athlete in a Registered Testing Pool
5. Tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control
6. Possession of a prohibited substance or method
7. Trafficking or attempted trafficking of any prohibited substance or method
8. Administering or attempted administration of a prohibited substance or method
9. Complicity or attempted complicity in an ADRV
10. Prohibited association by an athlete or other person
11. Acts by an athlete or other person to discourage or retaliate against reporting to authorities

The first four Anti-Doping Rule Violations apply only to athletes since they refer to the obligation not to take banned substances and the obligation to submit to testing. The remaining seven Anti-Doping Rules apply to both the athletes and the Athlete Support Personnel including coaches, medical professionals, or anyone else working with the athlete or involved in anti-doping activities. National and International Federation administrators, officials and sample collection staff may also be liable for their conduct under the World Anti-Doping Code.

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) produces a list of substances and methods that are banned in sport in the form of the Prohibited List. It is updated at least annually, with the new list taking effect on January 1 of each year.
It is important that athletes and Athlete Support Personnel are familiar with the Prohibited List and know how to check whether medications are prohibited in sport. A substance or method can be added to the Prohibited List if it meets at least two of the following three criteria:

1. It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance.
2. Use of the substance or method represents an actual or potential health risk to the athlete.
3. Use of the substance or method violates the spirit of sport.

The Prohibited List includes substances and methods that are categorised into three groups:

1. Substances and methods prohibited at all times
2. Substances and methods prohibited in-competition
3. Substances prohibited in particular sports According to the Code, the in-competition is the period commencing at 11:59 p.m. on the day before a Competition in which the Athlete is scheduled to participate through the end of such Competition and the Sample collection process related to such Competition.
   The in-competition period is very important to understand when it relates to substances that are prohibited in-competition. When a substance is prohibited in-competition, it must leave the athlete’s system by the time the said competition begins. It does not mean that the athlete must stop taking the substance by the time the in-competition period begins. Different substances take different amounts of time to leave the system – athletes must be extremely careful to make sure that they are not caught with a positive test as a result of taking a substance prohibited in-competition.
   The most up-to-date version of the Prohibited List can be found here.

Checking Medications We recommend using Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO) to check all medications. Global DRO provides athletes and Athlete Support Personnel with information about the prohibited status of specific medications based on the current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.

Here are a few tips and tricks to help athletes and Athlete Support Personnel navigate the Prohibited List and to be able to select medications that are safe to take within the context of sport:

• Only the medical ingredient names are listed on the Prohibited List - not the brand names
• Always check dosage restrictions, route administration of the medicine and any limitations for the use of the drug based on gender
• Check both over-the-counter and prescription medications before using them
• Inform your medical professional that you are an athlete and subject to anti-doping regulations
• Different substances take different amounts of time to leave your system – take that into account when taking substances prohibited in-competition
• Be careful when substituting one brand of medication for another – they may contain different medical ingredients
• Be careful when travelling – the same brand of a medication may contain different medical ingredients abroad
• Regularly check for updates to the Prohibited List

Risks of Supplements Extreme caution is recommended regarding supplement use and there are numerous examples of positive tests being attributed to the misuse of supplements, poor labelling, or contamination of dietary supplements.

There is no single definition of what a supplement is – each country, organisation, and even different discipline might define supplements differently. Dietary supplements come in many forms, including functional foods, formulated foods, sports foods, single nutrients, and multi-ingredient products containing different combinations thereof.

Risks of supplements include:

• Because the supplement industry is not well-regulated, many supplement products available on the market are mislabelled – the ingredients are not properly listed, and the supplement may contain a prohibited substance that is not listed on the label.
• Contamination is another real risk of using supplements. The company that produces a supplement you select to use can also produce supplements that contain prohibited substances, and there is therefore a high risk of contamination at the production facility where your product is made.
• Supplements can also pose health risks. The testing of some supplements have shown they contain heavy metals and pesticides. Ultimately, remember that no supplement is 100% risk-free.

All athletes should do a risk-benefit assessment if they are considering the use supplements. The first step of such an assessment is to consider whether a “food-first” approach meets the athlete’s needs. Whenever possible, such assessment should be done with a support of a certified nutritionist or other qualified professional who is familiar with the global and UTMB World Series anti-doping rules.

Checking Supplements If, after careful consideration, an athlete chooses to use supplements, they must take the necessary steps to minimise the risks. This includes:

• informed and use reliable resources.
• If you do not have access to a certified nutritionist, conduct a self-assessment to make an informed decision as to whether supplements should be considered.
• If you decide that the benefits of using supplements outweigh the risks, only choose products that have been batch tested.
• Keep the original supplement packaging, or a photo of it, including the name of the supplement, brand name, and the batch number. If you received medical advice to take a supplement, keep a record of it.
• Companies that batch-test supplements include: Informed Sport, Certified for Sport, or Kölner Liste.

Remember, no supplement is 100% risk-free but athletes and Athlete Support Personnel can take certain steps to minimise these risks.

For more information, please watch this ITA webinar on nutritional supplements.

UTMB World Series has delegated the management of the Therapeutic Use Exemptions to the ITA. Please refer to ITA TUE Webpage.

Introduction to Doping Control The aim of testing is to detect and deter doping amongst athletes and to protect clean athletes. Any athlete under the testing jurisdiction of UTMB World Series may be tested at any time, with no advance notice, in- or out-of-competition, and be required to provide a urine or a blood sample.

UTMB World Series delegates all its anti-doping programs to ITA

What to expect during the Doping Control Process The doping control process is clearly defined by the World Anti-Doping Agency. This means that no matter where and when an athlete is tested, the process should remain the same.

The key steps of the doping control process are listed out in this Doping Control resource prepared by the International Testing Agency (also available in Arabic (عربى), Chinese (中文), French (français), German (deutsche), Italian (italiano), Japanese (日本語), Korean (한국어), Portuguese (português), Russian (русский) and Spanish (español).

To learn more about the doping control process, please watch this ITA webinar on urine and blood sample collection.

Rights & Responsibilities during Sample Collection Athletes have a number of rights and responsibilities during sample collection.

Athlete rights during sample collection are to:

• Have a representative accompany them during the process
• Request an interpreter, if one is available
• Ask for Chaperone’s/Doping Control Officer’s identification
• Ask any questions
• Request a delay for a valid reason (e.g., attending a victory ceremony, receiving necessary medical attention, warming down or finishing a training session)
• Request special assistance or modifications to the process
• Record any comments or concerns on the Doping Control Form

Athlete responsibilities during sample collection are to:

• Report for testing immediately if selected
• Show valid identification (usually a government-issued ID)
• Remain in direct sight of the Doping Control Officer or Chaperone
• Comply with the collection procedure

The Consequences of Doping There are many risks associated with doping. From negative effects on mental and physical health, to loss of sponsorship or prize money, to permanent damage to an athlete’s image and relationships, it is important to understand and consider all consequences of doping. Below is a list of some of the common consequences of not competing clean.

Health The use of Performance-enhancing Drugs (PEDs) may have long- and short-term impacts on the Athlete’s physical and mental health. Depending on the substance, the dosage and the duration of use, some PEDs have been proven to have severe side effects and can cause irreversible damage to an athlete’s body. In addition to the physical aspects, scientific research has shown that there is a considerable correlation between the use of PEDs and mental health issues. Most commonly, it was found that the use of doping substances can trigger anxiety, obsessive disorders or psychosis.

Social Being associated with doping or a doping offence will have an impact on the person’s reputation and social relations. In the public view, Athletes or other persons convicted of doping are often considered “cheaters” and experience many forms of stigma. Doping has a significant negative impact on the person’s private life and social interactions as people may feel that they no longer want to be connected to someone who has damaged the reputation of a sport and displayed poor judgement.

Financial A ban resulting from an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) will have a significant financial impact on the individual. For athletes, this includes, but is not limited to, the requirement to return prize money or a financial sanction. Other negative consequences of doping include termination of contracts and sponsorship deals, loss of government funding and other forms of financial support.

Sanctions An Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV) will have an impact on an athlete’s ability to train and compete. For coaches and other Athlete Support Personnel, a ban may mean that they are no longer able to work with athletes. A sanction resulting from an ADRV can range from a warning to a lifetime ban from all sport. It is also important to note that individuals banned in the sport of (Trail Running) may also be prohibited from playing, coaching or working with athletes in any other capacity in a different sport. It is also a violation of the Code to work with Athlete Support Personnel who have been sanctioned by an ADO, as well as any coaches, trainers, physicians or other Athlete Support Personnel who are ineligible on account of an ADRV, or those who have been criminally convicted or professionally disciplined in relation to doping.

A full list of sanctioned athletes and Athlete Support Personnel in the UTMB World Series can be found below in accordance with Code Art. 14.3 (Public Disclosure).

Table of Sanctions

A full list of all Athlete Support Personnel who are currently suspended from working with athletes or other persons can be found on WADA’s Prohibited Association List.

In accordance with the International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information (ISPPPI), Anti-Doping Organisations (ADOs) shall inform Participants or Persons to whom the Personal Information relates about the Processing of their Personal Information in the context of the ADO activities. This can be achieved by providing notice to the relevant individuals that explains the ADO data processing activities and related information before or when collecting Personal Information.
In this context, an ADO may decide to publish on its website an Anti-Doping Privacy Notice (and if applicable an Athlete Consent Form) prepared in accordance with the ISPPPI and any national/international regulations applicable to the ADO.
An ADO can refer to the ISPPPI and to the WADA Guidelines for the International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information for more information on this subject.

Clean Sport Education With the enactment of the 2021 World Anti-Doping Code and the new International Standard for Education, anti-doping education has become a key step towards ensuring a clean and fair field of play. Effective education and clean sport values-based education programs are important to create a strong doping-free culture.

The UTMB World Series supports this principle and has put in place a comprehensive Education Program for athletes and Athlete Support Personnel through education webinars. If you want to access the recording of the webinar, please contact elites@utmb.world.

It is strongly recommended that all UTMB World Series athletes, coaches and other Athlete Support Personnel take the time to get educated and informed using the available anti-doping educational tools and resources. Topic-specific resources are included as direct links within that topic, other, more general resources and materials are listed below.

WADA ADEL Platform ADEL is WADA’s global Anti-Doping Education and Learning Platform. ADEL welcomes anyone who wants to learn about clean sport – the e-learning courses are free for all.

There are courses for athletes of different levels, as well as for coaches, and other support personnel. These include:

• Athlete’s Guide to the 2021 Code
• Athlete Support Personnel Guide to the 2021 Code
• ADEL for Registered Testing Pool Athletes
• International-Level Athletes Education Program
• National-Level Athletes Education Program
• Parents of Elite Athletes Education Program
• High Performance Coaches’ Education Program
• Medical Professional’s Education Program

ADEL courses are available in many different languages. If your language is not available at the time of login, make sure to check the ADEL Roadmap section of the website to see what courses are currently being translated and to which languages.

ITA Athlete Hub The UTMB World Series recommends regularly visiting the International Testing Agency’s Athlete Hub for the latest news, articles and informational resources. The Resources section is also helpful if you are looking for a specific document.

ITA Monthly Webinars All members of the UTMB World Series community are invited to take part in the ITA webinar series. Each month, anti-doping experts or athlete guests discuss key anti-doping topics relevant to athletes and Athlete Support Personnel. All webinars are free and accessible to any interested member of the global sport community. The webinars are delivered in English with simultaneous translation to Arabic, French, Russian and Spanish. Registration for each webinar opens 2-3 weeks prior to the live session on the ITA Athlete Hub and on the ITA social media channels. Previous webinars can also be viewed on the Athlete Hub.

General inquiries: elites@utmb.world
Questions about Clean Sport: education@ita.sport
TUE matters: tue@ita.sport