Scottish Orienteering Anti-Doping Policy

Clean orienteering and anti-doping

The Scottish Orienteering Association (SOA) believes in ‘clean orienteering’ with all athletes competing in the sport knowing that they, and their competitors, are clean. Part of achieving this is through adoption of the UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) Rules and Assurance requirements. (Please note that elites and potential members of the UK squads fall under British Orienteering’s rather than SOA’s jurisdiction on this topic and people in the above groups should consult the British Orienteering anti-doping web pages).

UKAD and the International Orienteering Federation (IOF) provide extensive information on the topics of Clean sport and anti-doping and this page gives indicators of where information may be found on their websites: UKAD https://www.ukad.org.uk/ and IOF https://orienteering.sport/iof/anti-doping/
UKAD rules and information about rule violations can be accessed through this link: https://www.ukad.org.uk/about/anti-doping-rules. This link also provides access to the list of current anti-doping rule violations.
Also specified are to whom the rules apply: some only to athletes, some to athletes and support personnel and some to both of these groups plus other persons.
The IOF rules can be accessed through this link: https://orienteering.sport/iof/anti-doping/
The prohibited list of substances is revised and reissued annually by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA): the current version can be found using this link

The Strict Liability principle simply allocates liability to athletes for prohibited substances detected in tested samples from them. Hence all orienteers have a personal responsibility to check any medication they take and any food supplements they might consume against the prohibited substance list. Orienteers should be aware that some prescription drugs are on the list.

Checking status of medication and food supplements

You can find the status of a medication by searching on the Global DRO website: https://www.globaldro.com/UK/search.

You can find information on composition of food supplements on the Informed Sport website: https://sport.wetestyoutrust.com

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) can be obtained by elite/international athletes for situations and substances where they have a non-performance related reason to take prohibited substance. People in these groups may apply in advance – other arrangements are in place for people outside these groups: they need to submit a retroactive application within 5 working days of receiving notice of an adverse analytical finding. The different processes and how to access the TUE Wizard can be found by using this link: https://www.ukad.org.uk/tue-application

While testing of orienteers is not commonplace at present, this could change and become more likely as WOC 2024 approaches. The testing process is described on https://www.ukad.org.uk/violations/testing-process

Should any person learn of information relating in any way to an apparent Anti-Doping Rule Violation by an Athlete or Athlete Support Person within Scottish orienteering they need to report the information directly through the “Protect Your Sport” page on the UKAD website. Please then also inform one of the SOA Anti-doping Lead, the designated Board member or the SOA President.

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

In addition to this SOA anti-doping policy, and the SOA Education Strategy has recently been produced as part of complying with the UKAD Assurance requirements.

Retirement Process

Retired orienteers are not eligible for testing. Should you wish to retire from the sport please complete this online form: https://forms.gle/ZSJurbQvA3v9RAdSA . Please note that retired orienteers cannot participate in events.

Retrospective application for retirement is not permitted.