Anti-doping and orienteering

In early 2021 the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) completed their 5 yearly anti-doping code review and issued the latest version. UKAD took this and updated and issued the rules that apply to the UK. The changes were not dramatic, but UKAD’s decision to require all sports to comply with their detailed assurance system and to do it in stages through the following 12 months is dramatic: it is also challenging. Anti-doping assurance is about to take on a much higher profile within all UK sports including orienteering. The IOF has also stated that it supports & adopts the WADA code.

2 key underlying principles for anti-doping in sport are:

• Ensure orienteering is a clean sport,
• Athletes take full responsibility for what is in them – not knowing, not understanding, just doing what someone asked you to do; all are invalid excuses for an adverse finding.

While the publicity and the main focus of anti-doping is normally on elite athletes, the rules apply to all participants competing in sport, as do most items in the assurance system.

• The latest version of the rules can be found here:   https://www.ukad.org.uk/about/anti-doping-rules
• A summary of the UKAD assurance system can be found here (external link):      https://www.ukad.org.uk/sites/default/files/2021-04/24%20Requirements%20Summary%20.pdf

If you are a member of the SOA then the anti-doping rules apply to you, regardless of what level you participate at. 

The policy and education strategy can be found on the SOA website anti-doping page https://www.scottish-orienteering.org/anti-doping/.

An Overview of Anti-Doping activities for 2021 is also available.