Medication and Anti-Doping Resources
Medication and Anti-Doping Resources
U.S. Soccer believes soccer should be a clean sport and therefore maintains strict rules and standards regarding the abuse of performance-enhancing drugs and strives to protect clean athletes and promote clean competition. We encourage athletes, coaches, parents, and administrators to review the important information on this page to understand their role in preventing doping in sport.
Having a fair and effective anti-doping program is vital to ensure the rights of clean athletes and the integrity of competition are upheld. U.S. Soccer is opposed to the practice of doping in sport and fully supports and complies with the policies, protocols, and rules set forth by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) as the independent, non-profit anti-doping organization contracted by U.S. Soccer. USADA’s comprehensive anti-doping program implemented for soccer athletes is guided by their mission to stand with athletes to champion their right to clean sport, inspire true and healthy sport, and promote the integrity of sport.
It is the duty of all Athletes, Athlete Support Personnel and other Persons (as those terms are defined in the World Anti-Doping Code), by virtue of their participation in the Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, Para Pan American or Youth Olympic Games, participation in an Event or Competition organized or sanctioned by U.S. Soccer, participation on a National Team, utilization of a USOPC Training Center, receipt of benefits from the USOPC or U.S. Soccer, inclusion in the Registered Testing Pool, or otherwise subject to the World Anti-Doping Code to comply with all anti-doping rules of WADA, FIFA, or IFCPF, the USOPC, and of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), including the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing (USADA Protocol) and all other policies and rules adopted by WADA, FIFA, or IFCPF and USADA.
If it is determined that an Athlete, Athlete Support Personnel, or other Persons may have committed a doping violation, the individual agrees to submit to the results management authority and process of USADA, including arbitration under the USADA Protocol, or to the results management authority of U.S. Soccer, if applicable or referred by USADA. In addition, Athletes agree to submit to drug testing by FIFA or IFCPF and/or USADA or their designees at any time and understand that the use of methods or substances or prohibited by the applicable anti-doping rules make them subject to penalties including, but not limited to, disqualification and suspension.
World Anti-Doping Code
World Anti-Doping Code
USADA is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), which is a framework of anti-doping policies, rules, and regulations within sport. The Code, along with the supporting international standards, is maintained by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to ensure global harmonization of anti-doping rules.
USADA’s website www.USADA.org provides many resources to help athletes, athlete support personnel, and medical professionals understand the anti-doping process and the role they play in helping to protect clean sport.
To watch a video to learn more about USADA and its mission to protect athletes and clean sport click here.
Prescriptions and Over-the-Counter Medications
Prescriptions and Over-the-Counter Medications
WADA Prohibited List
The Prohibited List is a comprehensive document that identifies all the substances and methods prohibited in sport. Broken down by categories, the List also identifies which substances and methods are prohibited in-competition, out-of-competition, as well as in some cases, by specific sport. The List is evaluated, updated, and published every year by WADA. See the full list at: www.USADA.org/substances/prohibited-list/
To watch a video to learn more about the WADA prohibited list, click here.
Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO)
If an athlete needs to take a medication, Global DRO is an easy to use online and mobile-enabled resource to search the prohibited status of specific medications based on the current WADA Prohibited List.
Follow these steps:
1. Visit GlobalDRO.com and select your nationality
2. Select your user type, sport, nation of purchase
3. Type in a drug’s brand name or active ingredient
4. Read and accept the terms and conditions
5. Select the exact drug or active ingredients from the search results
6. View the status of the drug in and out of competition
Utilize Global DRO to determine the status of the medication your physician intends to prescribe and if it is prohibited, ask the physician if there are any alternative medications available that do not contain a prohibited substance.
It is important to note, Global DRO does not contain information on, or that applies to, any dietary supplements. To learn the difference between medications and supplements, click here. Also, check out Supplement 411 for more information on supplements.
Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
In some situations, an athlete may have an illness or condition that requires the use of substances or methods listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List. USADA may grant a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) in these situations in compliance with the World Anti-Doping Agency International Standard for TUEs. The TUE application process is thorough and designed to balance the need to provide athletes access to critical medication while protecting the rights of clean athletes to compete on a level playing field.
An approved TUE is required before using a prohibited substance or method in sport in order to avoid an anti-doping rule violation.
Please be vigilant in ensuring you properly apply for a TUE to the extent necessary when your physician prescribes medication to you. Please seek medical care prior to submitting a TUE for Emergency Treatment or Emergency Surgery.
For specific information on the application process, go to: www.USADA.org/substance/tue/
To watch a video to learn more about TUEs, click here.
Supplements
Supplements
Supplement 411
No organization can guarantee the safety, efficacy, or non-prohibited status of a dietary supplement. Due to the current regulatory framework, the Food and Drug administration (FDA) does not evaluate dietary supplement products prior to them being brought to the market. As such, it is very important that athletes and athlete support personnel are aware of the risks associated with taking dietary supplements.
USADA has created Supplement411.org as an online resource to help athletes and athlete support personnel realize the concerns surrounding the use of dietary supplements, recognize risk when it is seen, and reduce the risk of testing positive or experiencing health problems if an athlete chooses to use supplements.
NSF Certified for Sport®
If athletes choose to use supplements despite these known risks, USADA has always recommended that athletes use only dietary supplements that have been certified by a third-party program that tests for substances prohibited in sport. Based on a recent consensus statement, USADA now recognizes NSF Certified for Sport® as the program best suited for athletes to reduce the risk from supplements.
NSF Sport is an easy to use online and mobile-enabled resource to search the Certified status of specific supplements before you buy.
For more information on the NSF Certified for Sport® and how to reduce your risk from supplements, click here.
Support Personnel Resources
Support Personnel Resources
Anti-Doping Education for the Health Professional
HealthPro Advantage is free for all health care professionals. The course covers six key areas of anti-doping knowledge:
1. Anti-Doping Roles and Responsibilities
2. The WADA Prohibited List
3. Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
4. Dietary Supplements
5. The Sample Collection Process
6. Major Games Anti-Doping Specific Information
Access HealthPro Advantage through the Stanford Center for Continuing Medical Education Portal:
https://mededucation.stanford.edu/courses/healthpro-advantage/
Anti-Doping Education for Coaches
Coach’s Advantage is available for all coaches.The education tutorial covers:
· The WADA Prohibited List and Code changes
· The Sample Collection Process
· Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
· Whereabouts
Access Coach’s Advantage through the USADA portal: