Anti-Doping

Notice 11 January 2010: Pseudoephedrine on the 2010 Prohibited List

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has reintroduced pseudoephedrine to the Prohibited List effective January 1, 2010.
Pseudoephedrine is found in many over-the-counter medicines used as cough and cold remedies, hayfever and decongestant treatments.

It is Prohibited In-Competition at urinary concentrations >150 mg/mlPseudoephedrine, Advice to Athletes:

• Stop taking any pseudoephedrine containing products at least 24 hrs before competition
• Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about the use of alternative permitted medications for therapeutic use during in-competition periods, or apply for a TUE for the use of pseudoephedrine

Athletes can easily check out what over-the-counter medications, bought in the Republic of Ireland, are prohibited or permitted in sport by checking the 'Drugs in Sport Database' on www.eirpharm.com. Medications bought in Northern Ireland should be checked on www.globaldro.com.

If you check www.eirpharm.com you will see that a high proportion of cold and flu treatments contain pseudoephedrine e.g. Benylin four Flu, Day Nurse, Nurofen Cold and Flu. Pseudoephedrine is also found in some cough treatments e.g. Robitussin Plus, Benylin Dual Action Chesty. The cough and decongestant medication Casacol is also prohibited in competition.

Athletes who are required to take a prohibited medication for a legitimate medical reason may apply for a therapeutic use exemption (TUE). Check out www.irishsportscouncil.ie/Anti-Doping/TUEs_and_Medicines for information on TUE Applications.

Remember athletes selected for doping control must remember to declare the use of all prescribed and over-the-counter medications and supplements taken in the last 14 days on the doping control form.

Click here to read Additional Commentary from WADA on the re-introduction of Pseudoephedrine.

Notice 11 January 2010: Beta-2 Agonists Change Status on the 2010 Prohibited List

With the introduction of the 2010 WADA Prohibited List on 01 January 2010, there have been changes in the status of certain beta-2 agonists, which are commonly found in asthma medications.

Inhaled Salmeterol no longer needs a TUE form – you MUST declare it on the Doping Control Form when you are tested.

Inhaled Salbutamol (up to a maximum dose of 1600 mcg (micrograms) over 24 hours) no longer requires a TUE form but you MUST declare it on the Doping Control Form when you are tested. As a general rule the normal recommended adult dose for a salbutamol metered dose inhaler is two puffs of 100 mcg (micrograms) per puff, up to four times daily.  

Salbutamol is still prohibited when administered by any route other than inhalation, e.g., oral (pill form). If salbutamol is detected during drug testing procedures at a level above 1000 ng/mL, the athlete will have the burden of demonstrating through a controlled study that this urinary level was the result of therapeutic inhaled use of this medication.

All other Beta-2 agonists such as formoterol, fenoterol, terbutaline, salbutamol (>1600 micrograms over 24 hours) are still prohibited and require a TUE application.

An asthma TUE application must include (along with a completed TUE form) a medical file with the following information:

1) A complete medical history with specific focus on the respiratory system

2) A comprehensive report of the clinical examination with specific focus on the respiratory system

3) A report of spirometry with the measure of the Forced Expiratory Volume in 1 second (FEV1)

4) If airway obstruction is present, the spirometry will be repeated after inhalation of a short acting Beta-2 Agonist to demonstrate the reversibility of bronchoconstriction

5) In the absence of reversible airway obstruction, a bronchial provocation test is required to establish the presence of airway hyperresponsiveness

6) Exact name, speciality, address (including telephone, e-mail, fax) of examining physician.

Athletes can easily check out the status of their asthma medications, bought in the Republic of Ireland, checking the ‘Drugs in Sport Database’ on www.eirpharm.com.  Medications bought in Northern Ireland should be checked on www.globaldro.com.

The following chart lists common asthma medications and whether a TUE is required or not.

Athletes must remember to declare all asthma medications on the Doping Control Form when they are drug tested

The usual maximum recommended adult dose of Salbutamol by inhaler is 200 mcg (microgram) up to four times a day over a 24 hour period.  A TUE is only required if an athlete requires over and above 1600 mcg (micrograms) over 24 hours. If the athlete does not have a TUE in place and salbutamol is detected at an excessive level* during drug testing procedures, the athlete will have the burden of demonstrating through a controlled pharmokinetic study that this urinary level was the result of therapeutic inhaled use of this medication.

*in excess of 1000ng/mL in urine

Remember athletes selected for doping control must remember to declare the use of all prescribed and over-the-counter medications and supplements taken in the last 14 days on the doping control form.

This information is valid for 2010 only and the Prohibited List may change from time to time. Please check www.wada-ama.org for the most up to date World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List.

Notice: Update for SMS Athlete Whereabouts
New Whereabouts Number: 087-9580211

The ISC has launched a new and improved whereabouts text messaging service which allows athletes to receive a confirmation of receipt of their whereabouts update. In addition to this, the other main improvement is that testers will receive the information immediately and this should reduce the frustration of having testers arrive to a location after you have updated to say that you won't be there. Any athlete wishing to update his/her whereabouts by text must register his/her mobile number through the athlete on-line whereabouts system. In order to do this you will have to go through the on-line update process where you will be asked to provide all whereabouts information before you get to the final stage of Submitting the information. Although you are not obliged to complete all the whereabouts information in this way this is a good opportunity to get familiar with the on-line whereabouts system and consider using it for filing whereabouts from now on - you should certainly consider using it to file your Q1 2010 whereabouts. The important thing to remember is that you must get to the point where you click on SUBMIT - if you close the system before you get to this point your number will not be registered.

Note: Athletes can only use their registered phone to update their whereabouts and cannot use their phone to update whereabouts for other athletes.

It is anticipated that in the coming months we will be able to use those numbers which are registered in the system to provide information to athletes such as reminder for quarterly whereabouts filings etc. This has not yet been set up however, so please do not rely on the Council to provide more than one reminder for each quarter.

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Athlete Notification

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Notice: All Abbreviated Therapeutic Use Exemptions have expired on 31st December 2009

Athletes who held an Abbreviated Therapeutic Use Exemption (ATUE) under the old TUE System should be aware that any ATUE issued by the Irish Sports Council or by any international federation, that shows an expiry date in 2010 or beyond, is no longer valid since December 31, 2009. This is in line with the WADA International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions. In place of the Abbreviated TUE you may need to now make a Therapeutic Use Exemption. Please contact the Anti-Doping Unit on 01 8608800 if you have any queries.

What is Doping?

'Doping' refers to an athlete's use of prohibited drugs or methods to improve training and sporting results. Steroids are the drugs that often come to mind when we talk about doping, but doping also includes an athlete's use of other forbidden drugs (such as stimulants, hormones, diuretics, narcotics and marijuana), use of forbidden methods (such as blood transfusions or gene doping), and even the refusal to take a drug test or an attempt to tamper with doping controls.

What is Anti-Doping?

Anti-Doping is the fight against doping in sport in all its forms.

History of Anti-Doping in Ireland

Under the Irish Sports Council Act 1999 the Irish Sports Council was given the task of combating doping in sport. Immediately the Council established the Irish Sport Anti-Doping Programme, which was launched in the Autumn of 1999. It comprises three main elements; testing, education and research. The Council is proud to have put in place a Programme that is recognised nationally and internationally as of the highest quality. It makes a contribution to the development of Irish sport through guarding the ethical standards of sport and ensuring that competitors, mentors and spectators are involved with drug free sport.

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What is Doping?

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