Introduction

To promote and protect the integrity of sport and the health of athletes, the IPC, together with International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees established the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

The aims of the code, which is fully compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency Code, are:

To protect the athlete’s right to participate in doping free sport and thus promote health, fairness and equality for athletes worldwide.

To ensure harmonized, co-orindated and effective anti-doping programmes on the international and national level with regards to detection, deterrence and prevention of doping.

Anti-Doping rules, like Competition rules, are sport rules governing the conditions under which sport is played. All participants (athletes and athlete support personnel) accept these rules as a condition of participation and are presumed to have agreed to comply with the IPC Anti-Doping Code.

The IPC fully supports the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) view that the long-term solution to preventing doping is through effective values-based education programmes that can foster anti-doping behaviors and create a strong anti-doping culture.

In addition to the video above, WADA has produced a number of educational resources for athletes and coaches which can be found below:

WADA Quiz - Test your knowledge of anti-doping

WADA Doping Control Leaflet (English)

WADA Dangers of Doping Leaflet (English)

WADA Dangers of Doping Leaflet (Other languages)

Coach True

Athlete Testimonial

Eskil Hagen, IPC Athletes' Council and Norway

"I have always believed that all sports should be played on equal terms. This is especially true when it comes to doping. It is of the utmost importance that we have a strong anti- doping system in place to make sure that we keep the sports clean and true. Through the many years participating in high level sports I have seen the increase of doping controls, both in competition and out of competition.

"This shows that the focus on anti doping work has filtered through to disabled sports as well. The out of competition tests must continue and increase as I see this as the best deterrent to keep athletes on the narrow path and to make sure that athletes that cheat are caught. Another important deterrent is to increase the penalties and the length of exclusions, but also make sure that athletes get a fair and just hearing/case. With longer exclusions the punishment is more severe for athletes who want to cheat and for athletes who make a living on their sport it will make them think twice before using prohibited substances/doping.

"With the implementation of the anti doping code I believe that we are on the right way to achieve clean sports and an equal/level playing field.

"We must all contribute to achieve doping free sport by adhering to the anti doping rules and regulations. We should all be working towards this goal."