The International Federationof Sports Physical Therapy

GUIDELINE ON DOPING
Revised Version November 2014

International Federation of Sports
Physical Therapy Guideline on Doping
Revised Version November 2014
Table of contents
Introduction p. 2
Origin p. 2
- IFSPT p. 2
- SPA Project- World Anti-Doping Code p. 2
Purpose p. 3
Scope p. 3
Article 1: Definitions p. 4
Article 2: Application p. 6
Article 3: Roles and Responsibilities p. 7
Article 4: Obligations and prohibitions p. 9
Article 5: Education p. 9
Article 6: IFSPT Registration p. 10
Article 7: Disciplinary Rules p. 10

1

[Type	  the	
  document	
  title]	
  [Type	  the	
  date]	
  Introduction
OriginIFSPTThe International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy (IFSPT) is a world wide organization,
recognized as a subgroup of the World Confederation for Physical Therapy (WCPT), representing
national organizations of Sports Physical Therapy. The efforts of IFSPT are directed towards
Member Organizations and their individual members in serving athletes of all ages and abilities
through excellence in education, research, practice, and clinical specialization.
The intention of the IFSPT is to be the international resource for Sports Physical Therapists, topromote Sports Physical Therapy through the International Olympic Committee (IOC),International Paralympic Committee (IPC), International Sports Federations (IF’s) and otherprofessional Organizations.
One of the main objectives of IFSPT is to improve the quality of Sports Physical Therapy
worldwide on the level of knowledge, skills, attitude and professional responsibility. Anotherobjective is to utilize organizational structure and policy to promote international harmonization inorder to achieve the overall mission of the IFSPT.
In order to achieve these objectives, IFSPT encourages high standards of Sports Physical Therapy
by evaluating, developing and harmonizing guidelines, ethics and rules of conduct specific toSportsPhysical Therapy. In addition IFSPT has developed a register of Sports Physical Therapists that arerecognized by IFSPT. The registration requirements include compliance with the articles that form
this guideline.
SPA Project
IFSPT was promoter of the Sports Physical Therapy for All projects (SPA) in 2000-2006. The main
goal of SPA was to establish core standards, benchmarks and procedures for the accreditation of
educational and professional qualifications for Sports Physical Therapists. This led to a common
system of recognition of professional qualifications for Sports Physical Therapists throughout theEuropean Union and beyond, ensuring a common approach to prevention and treatment in sports at
all levels and more broadly in health-enhancing and leisure sectors.
One of the specific goals of the SPA project was to ensure a common approach to doping issues.
At national and international levels, athletes of all ages and abilities need expert support andguidance to maintain training and fitness at the required peak, without using doping.
The International Sports Physical Therapy Code of Conduct on Doping was developed as part of
the SPA project. IFSPT further developed the Code into this guideline, For more about the SPA
projects read: http://ifspt.org/education/the-spa-project/

World Anti-Doping CodeThe importance of anti-doping rules has been recognized at a global level, resulting in the World
Anti-Doping Code (WADC). This is the first international document containing doping regulations
that provides for the possibility of action against athlete support personnel, including Sports
Physical Therapists, violating anti-doping rules.
The WADC is the fundamental and universal document upon which the World Anti-Doping
Program in sport is based. The purpose of the WADC is to advance the anti-doping effort throughuniversal harmonization of core anti-doping elements.
More specifically its purpose iso to protect the athletes’ fundamental rights to participate in doping-free sport and thus
promote health, fairness and equity for athletes worldwide, ando to ensure harmonized, coordinated and effective anti-doping programs at the internationaland national level with regard to deterrence and prevention of doping.
The WADC is intended to be specific enough to achieve complete harmonization on issues where
uniformity is required, yet general enough in other areas to permit flexibility on how agreed-uponanti-doping principles are implemented. The Code has been drafted giving consideration to theprinciples of proportionality and human rights.
The WADC stipulates regulations for the conduct of all athlete support personnel, including Sports
Physical Therapists who fall under the jurisdiction of sports federations. To ensure that other Sports
Physical Therapists are bound by these global anti-doping rules as well, this IFSPT guideline will
be based on the WADC in order to further regulate and educate all Sports Physical Therapists. In
cases of conflict or unclear situations, the official English text of the WADC (www.wada-ama.org –accessed 28/10/2014)).will be used to assist in the understanding and interpretation of theprovisions in the IFSPT guideline
PurposeThe main purpose of this guideline is to educate and inform Sports Physical Therapists on their
responsibilities and obligations with regard to doping. These rules are laid down to prevent
problems that could arise for Sports Physical Therapists as a result of involvement in a doping
offence, as well as to prevent problems by guaranteeing a certain level of practice in the profession.
Another purpose is to make sure that all Sports Physical Therapists represented by IFSPT are awareof conduct that is allowed, or prohibited, while treating or accompanying athletes. It should be an
instrument in the education on doping issues and should facilitate consequences in case of noncompliance.
The guideline is designed to provide a basis for the application of disciplinary measures by meansof a registration system to be developed by IFSPT, as well as the disciplinary systems of therespective Member Organizations.
This guideline enables the IFSPT and the Member Organizations to take disciplinary measures incase of non-compliance of a particular Sports Physical Therapist, it also protects the image andcredibility of Sports Physical Therapists and the profession in general.

3

[Type	  the	
  document	
  title]	
  [Type	  the	
  date]	
  ScopeThis guideline sets forth specific anti-doping rules and principles that are to be followed by all
Member Organizations, Special Members and their individual members. These Member
Organizations are responsible for adopting, implementing or enforcing these rules within theirauthority. Each Member Organization shall establish procedures to ensure that all Sports Physical
Therapists under the authority of the Member Organization are informed of and agree to be boundby this guideline. Most definitions used in this guideline are based on the WADC, while others
marked with an asterisk are directly derived from the SPA project document “Competencies ofSports Physical Therapists”.
By their participation in sport, athlete support personnel are bound by anti-doping rules based on
the WADC by virtue of their membership, accreditation, or participation in sports organizations or
events subject to the WADC. Each Member Organization however, shall take the necessary steps toensure that all Sports Physical Therapists within its authority, including those not working with elite
athletes but for instance at a recreational level, are bound by this guideline.
The Member Organizations and Special Members shall implement the guideline provisions throughpolicies, statutes, rules, regulations and education according to their authority and within therelevant spheres of responsibility. The Member Organizations and Special Members are encouraged
to use this guideline to uphold certain competence requirements for the Sports Physical Therapists
with regard to doping. Other organizations representing Sports Physical Therapists that may not be
affiliated to IFSPT will be encouraged to accept and implement this guideline.
This guideline applies to all (Sports) Physical Therapists whether working with elite athletes or withathletes at a lower level.
Article 1: Definitions
Anti-Doping Organization: A Signatory that is responsible for adopting rules for initiating,
implementing or enforcing any part of the Doping Control process. This includes, for example, theInternational Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee, and other Major Event
Organizations that conduct Testing at their Events, WADA, International Federations, and National
Anti-Doping Organizations.
Anti-Doping rule violation: A violation of one or more anti-doping rules according to the WADC
Athlete: Any Person who competes in sport at the international level (as defined by each
International Federation), or the national level (as defined by each National Anti-Doping
Organization). An Anti-Doping Organization has discretion to apply anti-doping rules to an Athlete
who is neither an International-Level Athlete nor a National-Level Athlete, and thus to bring themwithin the definition of “Athlete.”
Athlete Support Personnel: Any coach, trainer, manager, agent, team staff, official, medical,
paramedical personnel, parent or any other person working with, treating or assisting an athlete
participating in or preparing for sports Competition.

Attempt: Purposely engaging in conduct that constitutes a substantial step in a course of conduct
planned to culminate in the commission of an anti-doping rule violation. Provided, however, there
shall be no anti-doping rule violation based solely on an attempt to commit a violation if the person
renounces the attempt prior to it being discovered by a third party not involved in the attempt.
Code: The World Anti-Doping Code.
Competencies: Competencies are the knowledge, skills and attitudes obtained through formal, nonformal, or informal learning which constitute the ability to perform occupation-specific tasks andduties in an effective manner.
Contaminated Product: A product that contain a prohibited substance that is not disclosed on the
product label or in information available in a reasonable internet search.
Doping: Doping is defined as the occurrence of one or more of the anti-doping rule violations set
forth in Article 2.1 through Article 2.10 of the World Anti-Doping Code.
IFSPT: International Federation of Sports Physical Therapy.
IFSPT Stakeholders: Organizations involved in, or able to influence, the profession of Sports
Physical Therapy, subscribing and committing to the IFSPT policies, and willing to takeresponsibility actively to contribute to the implementation and dissemination of those policies.
These organizations involve the WCPT and its Member Organizations and subgroups, otherinternational medical health allied professional Organizations, national and international sports
organizations, national and international sports related educational institutes, National Olympic
Committees, competent national regulation authorities and relevant insurance companies.
Member Organization: Any organization affiliated to the IFSPT. National Sports Physical Therapy
organizations that are recognized by their national parent organizations, that are a Member
Organization(MO) of the WCPT, are eligible for membership in the IFSPT.
International-Level Athlete: Athletes who compete in sport at international level, as defined byeach International Federation, consistent with the International Standard for Testing andInvestigations (ISTI).
International Standard: A standard adopted by WADA in support of the Code. Compliance with an
International Standard (as opposed to another alternative standard, practice or procedure) shall be
sufficient to conclude that the procedures addressed by the International Standard were performed
properly. International Standards shall include any technical documents issued pursuant to theInternational Standard.
National Anti-Doping Organization: The entity(ies) designated by each country as possessing the
primary authority and responsibility to adopt and implement anti-doping rules, direct the collectionof samples, the management of test results, and the conduct of hearings at the national level. If
designation has not been made by the competent public authority (ies), the entity shall be thecountry’s National Olympic Committee or its designee.

5[Type	  the	
  document	
  title]	
  [Type	  the	
  date]	
  National-Level Athlete: Athletes who compete in sport at the national level, as defined by each
National Anti-Doping Organization, consistent with the International Standard for Testing andInvestigations.
Possession: The actual, physical possession, or the constructive possession (which shall be foundonly if the person has exclusive control over the prohibited substance/method or the premises inwhich a prohibited substance exists).
Prohibited List: The list identifying the prohibited substances and prohibited methods.
Prohibited Method: Any method so described on the WADA prohibited list.
Prohibited Substance: Any substance, or class of substances, so described on the WADA
prohibited list.
Special Members: Sports Physical Therapy organizations, granted Special Membership by the
IFSPT Executive Board or voting representatives at an IFSPT General Meeting in accordance with
the IFSPT articles of federation.
Sports Physical Therapist: IFSPT to uses the title “Physical Therapist” instead of “Physiotherapist”
which is consistent with the term used by the World Confederation of Physical Therapy (WCPT)
http://www.wcpt.org/
Sports Physical Therapist: A Sports Physical Therapist is a recognized professional, whodemonstrates advanced competencies in adapting rehabilitation and training interventions for the
purposes of enhancing sports performance, preventing injury and restoring optimal function inathletes of all ages and abilities, while ensuring a high standard of professional and ethical practice.
Tampering: Altering for an improper purpose or in an improper way; bringing improper influence
to bear; interfering improperly; obstructing, misleading or engaging in any fraudulent conduct toalter results or prevent normal procedures from occurring.
Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE): A valid written statement allowing an athlete with documented
medical condition requiring the use of a prohibited substance or prohibited method, to temporarily
and in strict accordance with existing criteria use that particular substance or method.
Trafficking: Selling, giving, transporting, sending, delivering or distributing (or possessing for any
such purpose) a prohibited substance or prohibited method (either physically or by any electronic orother means) by an athlete, athlete support person or any other person subject to the jurisdiction ofan anti-doping organization to any third party; provided, however, this definition shall not include
the actions of "bona fide" medical personnel involving a prohibited substance used for genuine andlegal therapeutic purposes or other acceptable justification, and shall not include actions involving
prohibited substances which are not prohibited in out-of-competition testing unless thecircumstances as a whole demonstrate such prohibited substances are not intended for genuine andlegal therapeutic purposes or are intended to enhance sport performance.
Use: The utilization, application, ingestion, injection or consumption by any means whatsoever of
any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method.

WADA: The World Anti-Doping Agency.
WADC: World Anti-Doping Code. For more about WADC, link here: www.wada-ama.org.

Article 2: Application
2.1. These rules are applicable to all Member Organizations and Special Members, any other Sports
Physical Therapy organization that adopted this guideline, as well as to the individual members of
the respective organizations.
2.2. Member Organizations and Special Members are required as a condition of membership or
recognition, to adopt and implement this guideline to ensure that their anti-doping policies conformto the guideline. Member Organizations and Special Members are required to declare that theserules are applicable to their individual members, as well as to comply with the registration system
as provided by IFSPT (http://ifspt.org/registration/).
Member Organizations and Special Members shall require as a condition of membership or
recognition that Sports Physical Therapists submit themselves to this guideline and to the applicabledisciplinary rules.
2.3. These rules do not replace or eliminate the anti-doping rules by which Sports Physical
Therapists are bound by virtue of their agreements for membership, accreditation or participation in
sports Organizations or sports events subject to the rules of these Organizations.
Article 3: Roles and Responsibilities
3.1. Sports Physical Therapists:
3.1.1. The role and responsibility of a Sports Physical Therapist is:a) To be knowledgeable of and comply with all anti-doping policies and rules adopted pursuant to
the WADC and which are applicable to them or the athletes whom they support.
b) To cooperate with the athlete testing program.
c) To encourage athletes to uphold anti-doping values and anti-doping attitudes and to supportcompliance with anti-doping rules.
d) To disclose to his or her National Anti- Doping Organization and International Federation any
decision by a non-signatory finding that he or she committed an anti-doping rule violation within
the previous ten years.
e) To cooperate with Anti-Doping Organizations investigating anti-doping rule violationsf) Sports Physical Therapists or other athlete support personnel shall not use or possess any
prohibited substance or prohibited method without valid justification.

7

[Type	  the	
  document	
  title]	
  [Type	  the	
  date]	
  3.1.2. Sports Physical Therapists should take into account that a sanction on the athlete could not be
eliminated based on no fault or negligence if a personal Sports Physiotherapist without disclosure to
the athlete administrated a prohibited substance.
3.1.3. Sports Physical Therapists should be aware of the fact that if an athlete is of substantial
assistance in discovering or establishing anti-doping rule violations by athlete support personnel,
the period of ineligibility of the athlete may be eliminated or reduced.
3.1.4. Sports Physical Therapists should be conscious of the fact that administration of doping could
constitute an anti-doping violation on the athlete’s part, even if the athlete was unaware of what was
being administrated.
3.1.5. Sports Physical Therapists must be aware of the fact that nutritional supplements can becontaminated and the ingestion by an athlete could unintentionally lead to a positive doping test
result. Notwithstanding the ultimate responsibility of the athlete, the Sports Physical Therapist has
the responsibility to raise awareness of the fact that nutritional supplements could be contaminatedand that the use of supplements can put an athlete at risk. Sports Physical Therapists should bear
this in mind when discussing the athlete’s nutritional needs with the athlete and other professionals
around the athlete.
3.1.6. Administration, attempted administration, assistance, encouragement, aiding, abetting,covering up, or any other type of complicity involving an attempted or actual adverse analyticalfinding (ADRV) constitute an anti-doping rule violation.
3.2. Athletes
3.2.1. It is each athlete’s personal duty to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his or her body.
Athletes are responsible for any prohibited substance or its metabolites found to be present in theirbodily specimens. Accordingly, it is not necessary that intent, fault, negligence or knowing use on
the athlete’s part is demonstrated in order to establish an anti-doping violation under the applicable
rules of their sport.
3.2.2. It is the responsibility of athletes to inform Sports Physical Therapists of their obligation not
to use prohibited substances and prohibited methods and to take responsibility to make sure that any
medical treatment received does not violate these rules or anti-doping policies and rules adopted by
sports Organizations.
3.2.3. If athletes have the choice of who would be their medical personnel, they are responsible for
their choice and for advising the medical personnel that they cannot be given any prohibited
substance.
3.3. Member Organizations and Special Members
3.3.1. Member Organizations and Special Members are responsible for adopting and implementing
this guideline and for ensuring that their anti-doping policies and rules comply with its applicableprovisions.

3.3.2 Member Organizations and Special Members shall take appropriate action to discourage noncompliance with this guideline.
3.4 IFSPT
3.4.1 IFSPT, their Member Organizations and Special Members, have the responsibility to require
all Sports Physical Therapists within their jurisdiction to recognize and be bound by this guideline.
3.4.2. IFSPT has the responsibility to integrate this guideline in its core standard of proficiency andaccording competencies.
3.4.3 With regard to the stakeholders, IFSPT is responsible for:a) Dissemination of the guideline among the stakeholder Organizations;b) Stimulating further dissemination of the guideline by those Organizations
among their relations and professional network;c) Providing the Organizations with further information on the guideline;d) Enhancing commitment to the guideline and to the IFSPT anti-doping policy;e) Encouraging implementation of the guideline within the Organizations.
3.4.4. IFSPT has the responsibility to raise awareness of anti-doping policies within its sphere of
influence through education. The IFSPT is responsible for updates on the anti-doping policy andcorresponding education material.
3.4.5. IFSPT is responsible for providing and approving a registration system in accordance witharticle 6.
3.4.6. IFSPT will evaluate its anti-doping policy on a regular basis. This includes an assessment of
the effectiveness of the guideline and the results of the educational system.
Article 4: Obligations and prohibitions
4.1. Notwithstanding the confidential nature of the physiotherapist-athlete relationship which will
be recognized, the administration or attempted administration of a prohibited substance by a Sports
Physical Therapist to any athlete, or assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, covering up or any
other type of complicity involving an anti-doping rule violation or any attempted violation, is
prohibited.
4.2. Possession of a substance that is prohibited in out-of-competition testing or a prohibited
method by a Sports Physiotherapist in connection with an athlete, competition or training is
prohibited, unless the Sports Physiotherapist establishes that the possession is pursuant to atherapeutic use exemption granted to an athlete in accordance with the International Standard for
Therapeutic Use Exemptions or other acceptable justification.
4.3. Trafficking in any prohibited substance by a Sports Physical Therapist is prohibited.

9

[Type	  the	
  document	
  title]	
  [Type	  the	
  date]	
  4.4. Tampering, or attempting to tamper, with any part of the doping control procedure is
prohibited. This article prohibits conduct, which would not be included in the typical definition ofprohibited methods.
4.5. If required, athlete support personnel are obliged to cooperate fully, in a timely manner and to
give any necessary assistance to the sample collection procedure. Refusing or non-observance of
this provision constitutes a violation of these rules, if consideration of circumstances and otherapplicable guidelines or rules are acknowledged.
The cooperation might include:a) Signing the doping control form;b) Identifying the athlete to the doping control official;c) Accompanying an athlete for sample collection if requested by the athlete and, if applicable,considered appropriate by the team manager.
4.6. Encouraging athletes in any way to refuse, or fail without compelling justification, to submit tosample collection after notification or otherwise evading sample collection, constitutes a violationof these rules.
4.7. If confronted while working with an athlete with his or her use of prohibited substances without
any medical indication and in order to enhance the athlete’s performance, it is the Sports Physical
Therapists duty to discourage the use of these substances.
Article 5: Education
5.1. All Member Organizations and Special Members will take appropriate action to ensure that all
Sports Physical Therapists working with athletes of all ages and abilities at a national andinternational level are educated and informed about the doping rules, including this guideline.
5.2. Sports Physical Therapists should educate and counsel athletes regarding anti-doping policies
and rules adopted pursuant to the WADC.
5.3. Sports Physical Therapists should provide athletes with updated and accurate information atleast on the following issues:- Substances and methods on the prohibited list
- Health consequences of doping- Doping control procedures- Athletes’ rights and responsibilities
Sports Physical Therapists should endorse the above information if provided by another agency.
5.4. All Member Organizations, Special Members and Sports Physical Therapists, shall cooperatewith each other and with other sports Organizations to coordinate their efforts in anti-doping
information and education.
5.5. IFSPT shall develop an educational system, consisting of courses and educational material,with updated information on doping policies, to enable Sports Physical Therapists to comply withthe required competencies on doping issues and regulations as set forth by IFSPT.

5.6. This guideline should be used in postgraduate Physical Therapy educational programs relatingto sport.
Article 6: IFSPT Registration
6.1. To qualify for IFSPT registration, Sports Physical Therapists need to meet the core standards ofSports Physical Therapy competencies and professional qualifications determined by IFSPT.
6.2. The IFSPT will install an independent body that will be responsible for registration andreregistration of individual Sports Physical Therapists in the IFSPT register.
6.3. Educational criteria linked to the Sports Physical Therapy competencies will form the basis forregistration to determine whether a Sports Physiotherapist meets the required level of competencies
and professional qualifications in formal and non-formal learning. IFSPT will facilitate therecognition of these qualifications through the universities or other educational institutions andregistration systems within each Member Organization, utilizing existing quality assurance
mechanisms.
Article 7: Disciplinary Rules
7.1. Member Organizations and Special Members:
7.1.1. All Member Organizations and Special Members are required to ensure a disciplinary system
is in place to determine whether violation of, or noncompliance with these rules has occurred and to
impose proper sanctions. This system should contain basic principles, such as the right to appeal
and the right to respond relative to ensuring a fair hearing for Sports Physical Therapists asserted tohave violated these rules.
7.1.2. The system referred to in the previous section may be part of existing disciplinary
mechanisms at a national level with regard to Sports Physical Therapists, for instance to discipline
violations of ethical codes or codes of conduct.
7.1.3. All Member Organizations and Special Members will incorporate this guideline into theirdisciplinary system to ensure proper sanctioning according to their own disciplinary rules.
7.1.4. Besides the imposition of disciplinary measures according to the applicable system referred
to in 7.1.1., sanctions may involve a warning, a reprimand, imposition of a certain period of
ineligibility, as well as ineligibility for credentials, membership and other sport benefits.
7.1.5. Besides providing for the disciplinary system as prescribed in 7.1.1., in order to fully comply
with the guideline, all Member Organizations and Special Members are required to employ Sports
Physical Therapists who have not been proven to have violated or acted against the guideline or any
other anti-doping rule.
7.2. IFSPT:

11

[Type	  the	
  document	
  title]	
  [Type	  the	
  date]	
  7.2.1. In addition to any sanction imposed by a Member Organization or Special Member, violationof, or non-compliance with these rules can, upon the decision of the IFSPT registration body, leadto immediate revocation of the IFSPT registration or the denial of (re-)registration.
7.2.2. Revocation or denial of (re)registration will be imposed for a limited period up to a period forlife.
7.3. Other Organizations:7.3.1. Violations of the guideline, also violating the rules of sports organizations, are subject to therules adopted by these organizations. Therefore the imposition of sanctions according to theguideline does not alter the fact that Sports Physical Therapists may also be sanctioned by thecompetent body of a sports organization whose regulations they are bound to comply with.
7.3.2. Violations of these rules, which also violate non-sporting laws and regulations, will bereported to the competent administrative, professional or judicial authorities.
7.4. Burden of Proof:
7.4.1. The Member Organization or Special Member shall have the burden to establish that
violation of, or non-compliance with these rules has occurred.
7.4.2. Facts related to anti-doping rule violations may be established by any reliable means,including admissions.
Revised November 2014 byFinn Mikkelsen, Cand Scient, Anti Doping Expert, Danmark
Bente A S Andersen, MSc, Spec. Sports PT, Denmark