ATA Medical Forms & Articles
ATA 2009 UPDATE on ANTI DOPING
What Every Competitive Taekwondo
Athlete Should Know about Doping
by Dr. Terry DeFreitas MD CCFP, Sport Med Diploma (CASM)
The World Anti Doping
Agency, WADA, updates and changes the anti doping list on an annual basis.
This is done to ensure that any new performance enhancing drugs are added to
the banned list. It is also updated to streamline the process of detecting
athletes who cheat. WADA publishes the banned list for all sports.
www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibitedlist.ch2
In Canada, we have the
Canadian Center for Ethical Sport (CCES), which conducts testing of athletes
in Canada and provides information to athletes and coaches on banned and
non-banned medications.
www.cces.ca/forms/index.cfm?dsp=template&act=view3&template_id=46&lang=e
As Taekwondo
participants, we are also subject to the anti doping policies of the World
Taekwondo Federation. If you participate in a sanctioned WTF international
tournament, you may be subject to testing at this event.
Basic categories of
banned substances are: anabolic
steroids, masking agents, stimulants, oxygen transfer agents, non emergency
use of intravenous fluid or blood products and gene manipulation.
There are many
medications which are ALLOWED, such as Tylenol, Advil and Motrin.
Some cold medications, the birth control pill, antibiotics, Imodium, topical
creams for acne and eczema are all allowed.
Some athletes have
asthma, diabetes or other medical conditions requiring medications, which
are on the banned list. In these specific cases, the athlete and their
physician are allowed to submit a therapeutic use exemption for
approval of use of the medication.
As a Canadian
Taekwondo athlete, the WADA banned list applies to you. This year, in order
to better target international athletes, many things have changed.
There are now registered testing pools
of athletes. These athletes are subject to random testing, they must tell
the CCES their whereabouts for the year through a website called ADAMS and
they must submit a Therapeutic Exemption TUE form for certain drugs such as
asthma medications.
At this point in time
there are only 8 Canadian athletes listed on the national RTP for
Taekwondo. There are 5 other registered testing pools, and so to be
absolutely sure, you should check with the CCES as to whether or not you
have to submit any documentation.
To check the registered
testing pool, go to:
www.cces.ca/forms/index.cfm?dsp=template&act=view3&template_id=204&lang=e
For the WTF registered
testing pool you can check:
www.wtf.org/wtf_eng/site/anti_doping/data/Registered_Testing_Pool_Aug_2009.pdf
For some athletes
trying to figure out what you need to do can be challenging. If you take a
certain medication and you intend to compete internationally or nationally,
all this can be very confusing. Do not worry; the CCES has published a
therapeutic use checklist. If you follow the directions and the steps you
cannot go wrong.
Here are the basic
steps:
1.
If you are on a medication
first check to see if it is banned.
2.
Check which organization
is responsible for processing your TUE application.
3.
Check when your TUE
application should be submitted.
4.
Check the specific
application process and/or criteria for particular substances and/or
conditions to ensure that all relevant supporting medical documentation
is included with the application.
Here is the link for
the checklist:
www.cces.ca/pdfs/CCES-FORM-TUE-E.pdf
QUESTION PERIOD:
1. I am going to
Nationals, I am not in a registered testing pool but I am representing my
province - what do I have to do?
If you are on a
medication or herbal substance check the CCES website to see if it is a
prohibited substance. If it is, you will need to have a TUE ready in case
you are asked to do a doping test.
Many athletes use
ventolin (salbutamol) or insulin as a necessary treatment for their medical
problems. In the past, everyone who went to a national event had to submit a
TUE. Now you only need to do this if you are actually tested. If you are
tested you will be permitted to submit the form retroactively
2. What happens if I am selected to represent Canada at an international
event?
IF you are about to
compete in an international WTF sanctioned event and you are not one of the
8 athletes listed above, you will still have to submit a TUE at least 21
days BEFORE the event.
If you win a medal or
are asked to do a random test at a national event, you may be asked to
submit a declaration form listing the medications you are on.
To obtain the form go
to this link: www.cces.ca/pdfs/CCES-FORM-TUE-E.pdf
For asthma go to:
www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/asthma_TUEC.pdf
For other substances go
to:
www.wada-ama.org/rtecontent/document/medicalinformationtue2007.pdf
3. I made the national team and 3 weeks before the world championships I had
my wisdom teeth taken out. They gave me drugs to make me go to sleep and
they gave me painkillers…what do I do?
If the medications were given for a
necessary procedure out of competition then they will be permitted. Please
ask your doctor to document which drugs were given to you. Your team medical
doctor will review the list and help you to determine if any paper work
needs to be submitted. Please be aware that only a medical doctor can do
this NOT a physiotherapist or a chiropractor.
Some pain killers are prohibited in
competition (certain narcotics) so if you are still using pain killers near
competition day you will need to review this with the medical doctor
responsible for your care. In some cases you will have to stop taking the
medication and start using something like plain Tylenol or Advil; consult
your doctor before you do this.
4. I have been taking some herbal stuff from the gym I work out at and I am
going to nationals…what should I do?
The CCES and WADA does not recommend the use
of herbal remedies or supplements simply because some have been found to be
contaminated with banned substances. Even if the supplement is accidentally
contaminated with a steroid or some other substance, and you test positive,
you could face a ban from competition for several years or life.
