The Athlete Whereabouts Programme is about protecting every athlete’s right to clean sport through out-of-competition testing that can take place without notice at any time. No-notice testing is a powerful way of deterring and detecting doping in sport.
If you’ve been assigned to a testing pool by us (the Commission) or your International Federation then you are required to provide and maintain detailed information about where you are, whether you’re on holiday, training or travelling.
Providing accurate and up-to-date information about your Whereabouts helps to protect the integrity of your sport. Multiple failures to comply with Whereabouts requirements can lead to an anti-doping rule violation and a ban from sport.
How to update your Whereabouts
Update your Whereabouts information online via the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). Once you're logged in and have submitted your whereabouts online, you can download the Athlete Central app and make changes to your whereabouts on-the-go.
Testing pool athletes need to file Whereabouts information before the start of each quarter and regularly update that information if and when plans change.
First quarter: 1 January – 31 March
Second quarter: 1 April – 30 June
Third quarter: 1 July – 30 September
Fourth quarter: 1 October – 31 December
About Whereabouts
The Athlete Whereabouts Programme is about protecting every athlete’s right to clean sport through out-of-competition testing that can take place without notice at any time. No-notice testing is a powerful way of deterring and detecting doping in sport.
If you’ve been assigned to a testing pool by us (the Commission) or your International Federation then you are required to provide and maintain detailed information about where you are, whether you’re on holiday, training or travelling.
Providing accurate and up-to-date information about your Whereabouts helps to protect the integrity of your sport. Multiple failures to comply with Whereabouts requirements can lead to an anti-doping rule violation and a ban from sport.
How to update your Whereabouts
Update your Whereabouts information online via the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). Once you're logged in and have submitted your whereabouts online, you can download the Athlete Central app and make changes to your whereabouts on-the-go.
Testing pool athletes need to file Whereabouts information before the start of each quarter and regularly update that information if and when plans change.
First quarter: 1 January – 31 March
Second quarter: 1 April – 30 June
Third quarter: 1 July – 30 September
Fourth quarter: 1 October – 31 December
Whereabouts in detail
01
Testing pools
When you join a testing pool, you are required to file your Whereabouts each quarter. Our decision to include you in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) or National Testing Pool (NTP) is based on a number of factors. These may include:
Your current performance level (i.e. athletes who are likely to be attending international competitions, such as the Olympics, Paralympics or World Championships and are medal contenders);
Physical demands of your sport and the possible performance-enhancing effect of doping;
Available research on doping trends, including current and past doping analysis and statistics;
Recent status changes (e.g. returning to competition after injury);
Withdrawal or absence from expected competition;
Sudden improvement in performance;
Sports performance history;
Returning to competition or sport after serving a sanction;
Reliable information from a third party.
01
Testing pools
When you join a testing pool, you are required to file your Whereabouts each quarter. Our decision to include you in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) or National Testing Pool (NTP) is based on a number of factors. These may include:
Your current performance level (i.e. athletes who are likely to be attending international competitions, such as the Olympics, Paralympics or World Championships and are medal contenders);
Physical demands of your sport and the possible performance-enhancing effect of doping;
Available research on doping trends, including current and past doping analysis and statistics;
Recent status changes (e.g. returning to competition after injury);
Withdrawal or absence from expected competition;
Sudden improvement in performance;
Sports performance history;
Returning to competition or sport after serving a sanction;
Reliable information from a third party.
02
Submitting and changing Whereabouts information
Information requirements
Your Whereabouts information is protected on a secure website and is kept strictly confidential. It is only shared with WADA and other anti-doping organisations for the purpose of testing.
You must provide accurate and up-to-date information including:
A primary residential address;
A mailing address and email address (confirmed quarterly)
Addresses for training, work and all other regular activities (including time-frames for those activities);
Competition schedules (including dates, locations and accommodation details);
Travel information (including travel dates, your destination, flight and accommodation details);
Any temporary or alternative addresses (e.g. when on holiday or your partner’s address).
60-minute timeslot for RTP athletes If you are an RTP athlete, you are also required to specify a 60-minute timeslot, between 5am and 11pm each day, in which you will be available for testing at a specified location. Select a timeslot that best fits your schedule and ensure you are available and accessible for the entire 60-minute period each day.
IMPORTANT: You must provide sufficient detail so that a Doping Control Officer can locate you for testing without providing any advanced notice.
You can choose to have a representative, such as a team manager or parent, file your Whereabouts information on your behalf, if you wish. However, you are responsible for the accuracy and timing of any information submitted - and any consequences should the Whereabouts information be incorrect or incomplete.
Holidays and overseas travel
Going on holiday does not excuse you from your Whereabouts responsibilities. You must still have accurate whereabouts for every day of the year, no matter what you’re doing.
If you’re overseas and can’t log in to Athlete Central because you’ve changed your sim card (and can’t access your SMS authentication code), we can help you disable your SMS TOTP for access. Just contact us at [email protected].
Last minute changes
We appreciate that sometimes you may not always know the details of your schedule ahead of time or you may need to update your Whereabouts due to unforeseen circumstances. Last minute changes should be a last resort and, where possible, you should fill out your Whereabouts before any trips. In an emergency, you can quickly update your Whereabouts on the go through the Athlete Central App.
Retiring from sport
If you are on our RTP or NTP and you wish to retire from competition, you must notify us in writing of your decision to retire.
Your Whereabouts information is protected on a secure website and is kept strictly confidential. It is only shared with WADA and other anti-doping organisations for the purpose of testing.
You must provide accurate and up-to-date information including:
A primary residential address;
A mailing address and email address (confirmed quarterly)
Addresses for training, work and all other regular activities (including time-frames for those activities);
Competition schedules (including dates, locations and accommodation details);
Travel information (including travel dates, your destination, flight and accommodation details);
Any temporary or alternative addresses (e.g. when on holiday or your partner’s address).
60-minute timeslot for RTP athletes If you are an RTP athlete, you are also required to specify a 60-minute timeslot, between 5am and 11pm each day, in which you will be available for testing at a specified location. Select a timeslot that best fits your schedule and ensure you are available and accessible for the entire 60-minute period each day.
IMPORTANT: You must provide sufficient detail so that a Doping Control Officer can locate you for testing without providing any advanced notice.
You can choose to have a representative, such as a team manager or parent, file your Whereabouts information on your behalf, if you wish. However, you are responsible for the accuracy and timing of any information submitted - and any consequences should the Whereabouts information be incorrect or incomplete.
Holidays and overseas travel
Going on holiday does not excuse you from your Whereabouts responsibilities. You must still have accurate whereabouts for every day of the year, no matter what you’re doing.
If you’re overseas and can’t log in to Athlete Central because you’ve changed your sim card (and can’t access your SMS authentication code), we can help you disable your SMS TOTP for access. Just contact us at [email protected].
Last minute changes
We appreciate that sometimes you may not always know the details of your schedule ahead of time or you may need to update your Whereabouts due to unforeseen circumstances. Last minute changes should be a last resort and, where possible, you should fill out your Whereabouts before any trips. In an emergency, you can quickly update your Whereabouts on the go through the Athlete Central App.
Retiring from sport
If you are on our RTP or NTP and you wish to retire from competition, you must notify us in writing of your decision to retire.
Whereabouts failures may be any combination of Filing Failures or Missed Tests and can be issued by the Commission or your International Federation.
A Failure can be recorded against you for the following reasons:
Filing failures
You fail to submit complete detailed Whereabouts information by the deadline.
You submit inaccurate Whereabouts information.
Missed test
You miss a test during your designated 60-minute timeslot.
Consequences If you are an RTP athlete and fail to comply with the Whereabouts requirements without good reason, you will have a Whereabouts Failure or strike recorded against your name. Your National Sport Organisation, International Federation and WADA will be notified of any strike recorded against you.
Three (3) Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period constitutes an anti-doping rule violation. If proven, you could be banned from sport for up to two years. In cases with mitigating factors, that ban may be reduced to 1 year.
NTP athletes
If you are an NTP athlete, you will be issued with a warning letter that will be retained on your file if:
You fail to file your quarterly Whereabouts information by the deadline specified; or
The Whereabouts information you provide is found to be incomplete or incorrect.
Consequences Two warnings within one quarter or three warnings within 12-months will result in an automatic review of your testing pool status and you may be moved to the RTP, where the Whereabouts requirements are more demanding and the consequences for Whereabouts Failures are more severe. We may review your testing pool status at any time.
Whereabouts failures may be any combination of Filing Failures or Missed Tests and can be issued by the Commission or your International Federation.
A Failure can be recorded against you for the following reasons:
Filing failures
You fail to submit complete detailed Whereabouts information by the deadline.
You submit inaccurate Whereabouts information.
Missed test
You miss a test during your designated 60-minute timeslot.
Consequences If you are an RTP athlete and fail to comply with the Whereabouts requirements without good reason, you will have a Whereabouts Failure or strike recorded against your name. Your National Sport Organisation, International Federation and WADA will be notified of any strike recorded against you.
Three (3) Whereabouts Failures within a 12-month period constitutes an anti-doping rule violation. If proven, you could be banned from sport for up to two years. In cases with mitigating factors, that ban may be reduced to 1 year.
NTP athletes
If you are an NTP athlete, you will be issued with a warning letter that will be retained on your file if:
You fail to file your quarterly Whereabouts information by the deadline specified; or
The Whereabouts information you provide is found to be incomplete or incorrect.
Consequences Two warnings within one quarter or three warnings within 12-months will result in an automatic review of your testing pool status and you may be moved to the RTP, where the Whereabouts requirements are more demanding and the consequences for Whereabouts Failures are more severe. We may review your testing pool status at any time.
If you have any questions or need personal help with your Whereabouts, you can call us on 0800 378437 or email us at [email protected].
Appeals
All letters regarding a Whereabouts Failure (either a Missed Test or a Filing Failure) will advise you that you can appeal the decision. If you believe that you have not committed a Whereabouts Failure, you are required to provide as much detail as possible to support your claim. We will then assess your claim and respond accordingly.
04
Getting help
Whereabouts help and support
If you have any questions or need personal help with your Whereabouts, you can call us on 0800 378437 or email us at [email protected].
Appeals
All letters regarding a Whereabouts Failure (either a Missed Test or a Filing Failure) will advise you that you can appeal the decision. If you believe that you have not committed a Whereabouts Failure, you are required to provide as much detail as possible to support your claim. We will then assess your claim and respond accordingly.
