SPORT INTEGRITY AUSTRALIA

2021 NEW RULES AROUND GLUCOCORTICOID (GC) INJECTIONS IN COMPETITION

From 1 January 2022, all Glucocorticoid (GC), “cortisone”, injections will be prohibited in-competition. This is a new ruling, making their classification consistent with oral GC preparations.

GC injections are permitted out of competition, however, most commonly used GCs have a wash-out (clearance from the body) period of between three and five days while some types of GCs can stay in a person’s system for up to 60 days for intra-muscular injection. This means that some injections given before competition can be detected in an in-competition sample.

If an athlete requires a GC injection for legitimate medical purposes, they’ll need to check the Sport Integrity App for their Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) requirements and keep good medical records to enable a TUE application. Please remind your athletes to always discuss any treatment with their doctor and check any medications they are taking on GlobalDRO.

Click here for a factsheet about the changes.

What is Doping?

Doping is the use of substances or methods that are banned in sport. Doping is cheating because it gives one athlete an advantage over others. Doping is also extremely dangerous to your health and can destroy your reputation.

What is Anti-Doping?

Anti-doping is a set of rules designed to protect athletes’ rights to participate in sport free of performance enhancing drugs.

It’s anti-doping that keeps sport fair and keeps the playing field level. When athletes choose not to dope, we say they compete clean.

ANTI-DOPING AND WRESTLING

Wrestling Australia takes a position of zero tolerance toward doping in sport and works closely with Sport Integrity Australia (SIA) in Australia and the United World Wrestling internationally to ensure a drug-free environment in our sport.

Anti-doping rules apply to all participants of our sport from elite to grassroots. All members must be aware of, and have a basic understanding of, their obligations regarding anti-doping. The Sport Integrity Australia website has a range of information and resources to assist, including:

• information about supplements
• applying for a Therapeutic Use Exemption
• submitting Whereabouts information
• information about athlete testing

Wrestling Australia’s anti-doping policy is the Australian National Anti-Doping Policy, effective 1 January 2021, and can be found on the Sport Integrity Australia website.

To report a breach of anti-doping rules, submit directly to Sport Integrity Australia via:

• Sport Integrity Australia complaint form; or

· Call 1300 027 232

EDUCATION, RESOURCES, AND AWARENESS 

When it comes to anti-doping, it is critical that our athletes and their support personnel are aware of their rights and responsibilities. There are a range of tools and resources available to help keep participants informed.

Integrity eLearning

Sport Integrity Australia eLearning offers several online courses relating to sport integrity, including doping, match-fixing, illicit drugs, and ethical decision-making courses. Specific anti-doping courses are also available for coaches, support personnel, medical practitioners and parents.

Athletes and support personnel who are required to complete online education can submit their ‘eLearning certificate’ to admin@wrestling.com.au

Sport Integrity app

The Sport Integrity app is a one-stop shop for all sport integrity needs, designed with athletes in mind.

The app allows users to check whether their medications are banned in sport, find low-risk supplements to reduce their chance of testing positive, and check whether they need a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). The app also provides direction on how to raise concerns about things like doping, child safeguarding or discrimination. It features further information on eLearning modules, whereabouts and testing information and gives users the opportunity to provide feedback to Sport Integrity Australia.

The app is free and can be downloaded from the Apple and Android app stores.

Prohibited List of substances and methods

The Prohibited List outlines the substances and methods that are prohibited in sport. It is updated annually by the World Anti-Doping Agency. Remember that individual products or brands are not named on the Prohibited List. Athletes should check the status of all medications on Global DRO before they use them.

Checking your substances

Global DRO allows users to check whether the most commonly prescribed and over-the-counter medicines in Australia are permitted or prohibited in sport. 

If an athlete required the use of a prohibited substance to treat a medical condition, the athlete needs to be aware of the TUE requirements.  For more information on a TUE visit the Sports Integrity Australia website.