IPC Launches New Registered Testing Pool

“Out-of-competition doping controls are one of the most powerful means of deterrence and detection of doping and they are an important step in strengthening athlete and public confidence in doping-free sport," said IPC Medical & Scientific Director Peter Van de Vliet.

The RTP is a pool of top-level athletes in each sport. Inclusion in the IPC RTP is on the basis of criteria that the IPC has discussed with the World Anti-Doping Agency. RTP athletes are subject to Out-of-Competition Testing as part of the IPC’s test distribution plan. The list of athletes included in the 2009 IPC RTP can be found on the IPC website -> Anti-Doping. The new IPC RTP will be effective from the second quarter of this year (1 April 2009).

“Out-of-competition doping controls are one of the most powerful means of deterrence and detection of doping and they are an important step in strengthening athlete and public confidence in doping-free sport. The IPC therefore closely co-operates with WADA and the National Anti-Doping Agencies to ensure a comprehensive out-of-competition testing plan and an efficient use of anti-doping resources,” said IPC Medical & Scientific Director Peter Van de Vliet.

The WADC International Standard for Testing sets the provisions for athletes who are members of a RTP. The athletes are required to provide accurate, up-to-date whereabouts information to the IPC on a quarterly basis. The IPC collects this information through WADA’s Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS). ADAMS allows the athletes to enter the information directly and accurately in an easy, secured and convenient manner.

It is the athlete’s strict responsibility to provide the information required accurately and in sufficient detail. This enables the IPC or any other authorized entity to locate the athlete for testing on any day in the quarter. Any athlete who fails to provide information or provides fraudulent information commits an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under the IPC Anti-Doping Code. Nevertheless, all athletes affiliated with an NPC shall be subject to Out-of-Competition Testing at any time or place, with or without advance notice, by the National Anti-Doping Organization of any country where the athlete is present, regardless of being in any Registered Testing Pool.

The IPC, together with the International Federations and the National Paralympic Committees, established the IPC Anti-Doping Code to prevent in the spirit of fair play, doping in sport for athletes with a disability and in conformity with the general principles of the WADC. The IPC fully endorses the purposes of the IPC Anti-Doping Code and the WADC to protect the athletes fundamental right to participate in doping free sport and thus promote health, fairness and equality for athletes world wide as well as to ensure harmonized, co-ordinated and effective anti-doping programmes.

For any further question or clarification, please contact antidoping@paralympic.org.