Whereabouts' Role in Clean Sport - Elite Athletes Face Bans
July 19, 2023Two renowned athletes, Tobi Amusan and Mikael Ymer, have been banned from their respective sports due to breaches in the whereabouts rule.
Tobi Amusan, the world record holder in the 100m hurdles, has been provisionally suspended after missing three out-of-competition doping tests, while Mikael Ymer, a professional tennis player, received his 18 months suspension from the Court of Arbitration for Sport for failing to comply with whereabouts requirements.
60-minute time slot for unannounced drug tests
Under the anti-doping code, athletes are obligated to provide accurate whereabouts information, including their daily location and a designated 60-minute time slot for unannounced drug tests. The information enables Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) to effectively locate athletes for out-of-competition testing, acting as a deterrent to those who may seek to gain an unfair advantage through doping.
20 year old rule - 172 athletes banned
If an athlete violates this rule, they must expect to be sidelined for some time. Most athletes are banned for a year - we have registered 60 such suspensions. 46 athletes has been banned for 2 years. And 13 has been banned for 18 months.
Even because of the quite long suspensions, athletes still violates the rule.
Since the implementation more than 100 athletes has been banned for violation this rule. In the Anti-Doping Database we have, as of July 19, 2023, registered over 170 cases.
USA is the country with the most athletes banned for violating the rule. In total 29 US athletes has been sidelined for a year or more. USA is followed by Russia (25) and France (13).
Most athletes in the sport of Track and Field violates the rule - 44 in total. Followed by Swimming (15) and Wrestling (12).
Controversy
The rule was implemented into the World Anti-Doping Code and is a very important asset for Anti-Doping Organisations and sports federations when testing athletes out of competition.
But the implementation hasn't been smooth sailing.
The concept of whereabouts has not been without controversy. In 2009, soccer federations FIFA and UEFA initially rejected the new rule, highlighting the challenges and debates surrounding its implementation.
The two organizations have later accepted the rule.
However, the importance of effective anti-doping programs and safeguarding clean sport has led to its widespread adoption.
Only for the selected few
Athletes included in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) are particularly required to provide whereabouts information on a quarterly basis. This includes their home address, contact details, overnight accommodations, regular activities, and competition schedules. Failure to comply or provide inaccurate information can result in penalties, including Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs).