As the Paris Summer Olympics draws closer, attention will be focused on the performances of athletes as they strive to excel in their respective disciplines. At the same time, the focus will also be on testing and monitoring for doping activities. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) Anti-Doping Rules for the Games of the XXXIII (33rd) Olympiad, Paris 2024 came into effect as of May 30, 2023.
The International Testing Agency (ITA), states that “the Anti-Doping Rules apply to all Anti-Doping Activities and Doping Controls over which the IOC has jurisdiction in relation to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.” (https://ita.sport/resource/anti-doping-rules-for-the-olympic-games-paris-2024/)
As such these rules shall, without limitation, apply to:
1. The IOC (including its Executive Board members, directors, officers, employees, the ITA, and other Delegated Third Parties and their directors, officers, and employees who are involved in any aspect of Doping Control).
2. All Athletes entered in or preparing for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 or who have otherwise been made subject to the authority of the IOC in connection with the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
3. All Athlete Support Personnel supporting such athletes.
4. Other Persons participating in or accredited to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, including, without any limitation, International Federations and NOCs.
5. Paris 2024 (including its members, directors, officers, and employees who are involved in any aspect of Doping Control).
6. Any Person operating (even if only temporarily) under the authority of the IOC in relation to the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Athletes, who are entered in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 or who have otherwise been made subject to the authority of the IOC in connection with the Olympic Games Paris 2024, are bound by these Rules as a condition of eligibility to participate in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Athletes shall, without limitation, be subject to the authority of the IOC upon being put forward by their NOC as potential participants in the Olympic Games Paris 2024 in advance of the Period of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 and shall in particular be considered to be entered into the Olympic Games Paris 2024 upon being included in the final NOC delegation list.
The Athlete Support Personnel supporting such Athletes and other Persons participating in, or accredited to, the Olympic Games Paris 2024 are bound by these Rules as a condition of such participation or accreditation.
Persons operating (even if only temporarily) under the authority of the IOC in connection with the Olympic Games Paris 2024 are bound by these Rules as a condition of their participation or involvement in the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
An example of the seriousness of the Anti-Doping Rules is provided on the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) website https://www.usada.org/athletes/paris-2024/
The USADA states for the Games: All Team USA athletes will need to provide complete Whereabouts that include:
1. Building and room number in the Athlete Village (if staying in the village);
2. Training locations/schedule at the Games;
3. Detailed accommodation information (if not staying in the village);
4. Travel days when travelling to/from France.
Athletes should update their whereabouts before they leave, during the Games, and when/if their schedule changes. The athlete is ultimately responsible for maintaining accurate and up-to-date Whereabouts information.
It provides information about testing during the Games which is informative for all athletes including those representing the Caribbean, especially first-timers at the Olympics:
• “It states the International Testing Agency is the authority delegated for the Olympic Games and that the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) will have anti-doping testing authority for the Paralympics Games.
• Trained Doping Control Officers (DCOs) collect samples during the Games in accordance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) International Standards. All urine, blood, and Dried Blood Spots (DBS) samples are analysed at the WADA-accredited laboratory in Paris. Throughout the doping control process, an athlete has the right to an interpreter, as well as a representative. USADA strongly encourages all athletes to have a representative, such as a coach, team representative, or doctor, during the doping control process. If an athlete has questions or concerns during doping control, they should ask the DCO to explain. Should they not get a sufficient answer, the DCO Control Station Manager should be contacted.
• Be aware of your rights and responsibilities as an athlete.
• In-competition testing is testing in the period commencing at 11.59 pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate, through the end of the competition or the sample collection process related to the competition. Any test that does not happen during the in-competition window is considered an out-of-competition test.”
The site also provides information on Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) to ensure athletes adhere to the correct process. Athletes may have an illness or medical condition that requires medication that contains substances or methods that are on the “List of Prohibited Substances and Method (list). As such athletes can apply for a TUE.
According to WADA, a TUE “allows you to use the medication or method as it does not afford you a competitive advantage, but rather ensure you can compete in a proper state of health.”
The information provided by the ITA and the USADA highlights the importance of athletes and support staff knowing the Anti-Doping Rules for the Paris 2024 Olympics and the process involved in testing, athletes knowing their rights and the process to seek out answers for any concerns they may have.