WADA releases new e-learning course for athletes and coaches heading to Beijing 2022

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has launched a new education course on its Anti-Doping Education and Learning platform (ADEL), specifically designed for athletes (including their guides) and coaches aiming to attend the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games.

This latest course, entitled ‘ADEL for Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games’, was developed by WADA in collaboration with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC). This collaboration was established as part of WADA’s ongoing work to support the implementation of the International Standard for Education (ISE), which promotes the principle that athletes and their athlete support personnel (ASP) should be educated prior to arriving at a major games or event. It also further demonstrates both organizations’ commitment to collaborate in order to support and promote the education of athletes and their coaches in the build-up to the Games.

Those taking the new course – which has been developed to cater to the specific needs of Paralympic athletes – will gain an understanding of the Beijing 2022 Paralympic Winter Games’ anti-doping rules, procedures and requirements – including how to check medications and apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), how to provide Whereabouts information, and explanations of the athletes’ rights and responsibilities during the testing process. The course will also allow athletes, coaches and guides (for visually impaired athletes) to identify key information, such as important dates that they need to be aware of and which organization has jurisdiction over them during the Games period.

In addition to the above, the new course will provide important information regarding modifications to the 2022 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods which was published on 30 September 2021 and will be in force during the Beijing Games. In particular, the course will provide information on the major changes regarding Glucocorticoid injections during the in-competition period that will be in effect from 1 January 2022.

WADA Director of Education, Amanda Hudson, said: “WADA is grateful for the cooperation of the IPC in developing this education solution for Anti-Doping Organizations to use as part of their pre-Games education efforts. Our common goal is the same in that we wish to see all Paralympic athletes, and those who support them, educated on anti-doping matters prior to their arrival in Beijing. We encourage all Anti-Doping Organizations intending to send teams to the Paralympic Games to invest their time in educating their national teams and to play their part in protecting both their national reputation and the integrity of the Games. We would like to thank the IPC for their valuable input throughout the development of the course.”

James Sclater, Anti-Doping Director at the IPC, added: “Following the hugely encouraging engagement in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics course, the IPC is delighted to again partner with WADA to create a winter version of the ADEL course for Beijing 2022. It is so important that athletes, coaches and other support personnel are aware of their responsibilities under the Code. Beijing 2022 is a pinnacle event in the Para sport calendar and committing an anti-doping violation simply because they didn’t know the rules, or didn’t intend to dope, is never an excuse. So, we urge all National Paralympic Committees to do their utmost to encourage team members selected for Beijing 2022 to complete this course as part of their Games preparation. Doing so will help ensure they are well placed to have a positive Games experience, and not a positive test”

Completion of this course – which includes a certificate for those who achieve a score of 80% or higher – is highly recommended. WADA and the IPC strongly encourage all National Paralympic Committees to work in close collaboration with their National or Regional Anti-Doping Organizations to ensure that athletes, coaches and other ASP are properly educated in advance of the Games – a principle that the ISE requires.

The course, which is currently available in English, has also been adapted slightly to ensure that visually impaired athletes can make their way through the course with their screen readers. The French and Spanish versions are under development and will be made available on ADEL in the coming weeks.

In a similar collaborative effort, we once again highlight the ‘ADEL for Medical Professionals at a Major Games’ course, which was developed with the International Olympic Committee and is useful for any medical professional traveling to Beijing, as well as the ‘ADEL for Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022’ course, a collaboration between WADA, the International Olympic Committee and the International Testing Agency.