A look back to 2023: The annual ISSF anti-doping program report
As we have done in the past, and in order to fulfill ISSF’s reporting obligations as a Signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code, this IPOD takes a look back on the previous year and provides all readers with a summary of ISSF’s anti-doping activities for 2023.
The ISSF Testing Program
The IPOD first offers the following report on the ISSF’s 2023 Testing Program in the form of a simple Q & A (Questions and Answers).
We are happy to have returned to a very full competition schedule in 2023 and this resulted in an increased number of In Competition and Out of Competition tests compared to 2021 – where Covid was still an important factor.
How many IN-competition doping controls did ISSF undertake in 2023?
Total number of In competition in ISSF events: 410
How many Out-of-competition doping controls did ISSF undertake in 2023?
The total number of out-of-competition doping controls undertaken by ISSF in 2023: 30
How many doping controls were undertaken by ISSF in total in 2023?
The total amount of urine samples collected both in and out of competition in 2021 is: 440
Note: ISSF only conducts urine tests as it has been confirmed by WADA further to a physiological risk assessment and sports specific analysis that blood testing is not necessary in shooting sport.
How many athletes in the ISSF Registered Testing Pool (RTP) at the end of the year?
At the end of 2023 (Quarter 4, 2023), there were 10 athletes in the ISSF RTP.
As always, the athletes included in the RTP are listed on the ISSF Anti-Doping page on the ISSF website.
How many anti-doping rule violations were committed at the international level in 2023?
One. It involved the inadvertent ingestion of a stimulant and the Athlete received a Warning.
Other activities conducted by ISSF in the course of running its Anti-Doping Program in 2023:
- ISSF continued to include elite Athletes in its Registered Testing Pool and to monitor their Whereabouts. issf-sports.org
- All Registered Testing Pool athletes were also included in the ISSF Education Pool and required to complete “ADEL” modules (ADEL is WADA’s Anti-Doping E-Learning platform). See Anti-Doping Education and Learning (wada-ama.org)
- The ISSF Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee, (ISSF TUEC) received, processes and granted or denied TUEs in a timely manner to all International-Level Athletes who apply for TUEs in accordance with the International Standard for TUEs. To apply for a TUE see: issf-sports.org
- ISSF investigated the circumstances surrounding ADRVs or alleged ADRVs as well as any information it received by way of Speak Up! or other means of reporting. See Speak Up! (wada-ama.org)
- ISSF diligently ran its Education Plan, making ADEL mandatory for all RTP athletes and quota places Athletes among others, engaging the ISSF Athletes Committee in its initiatives, engaging national federations to seek assistance from their NADOs and encouraging support staff, parents, medical professional ad all involved in shooting to register and follow ADEL modules. For more information: issf-sports.org
- Since 2009, ISSF continues to publish IPOD articles (Information Portal on Doping articles) to better inform all its stakeholders on important issues related to anti-doping. To read prior IPOD articles See: issf-sports.org
- Completion of ADEL modules was also made a requirement for all coaches wishing to obtain an ISSF Coaching certificate
- An anti-doping presentation was given as all pre-event meetings to remind all Member Federations, their Athletes and their Support Staff of the importance of applying for TUEs, the risks associated with taking supplements, and the importance of verifying everything Athlete’s ingest.
Looking ahead to 2024…
ISSF is steadfast in implementing its anti-doping program and promoting drug-free sport.
As anticipated and requested by the IOC, as of January 1 2024, ISSF is delegating the administration of its anti-doping program to the International Testing Agency(“ITA”).
The ISSF Test Distribution Plan (TDP)
The ISSF Anti-Doping Committee has successfully devised its 2024 Test Distribution Plan (TDP) with the objectives of planning and implementing the distribution of doping controls both in-competition and out-of-competition. The purpose of the TDP is to effectively detect, deter and prevent doping practices in shooting sport throughout the competition calendar.
Prior to outlining its TDP, a mandatory physiological risk assessment of doping in shooting sport was once again expertly and knowledgeably undertaken by the ISSF Anti-Doping Committee.
The TDP was elaborated based on the ISSF’s Anti-Doping Committee unique understanding, knowledge and appreciation of shooting sport and its athletes.
It is interesting to note that an in-depth historical assessment was conducted in 2021 concluding beta blockers have been the performance enhancing prohibited substance used by shooting sport athletes with the most prevalence both at the international and national level. Diuretics come in second in the list of prevalence – and ISSF underlines that anti-doping rule violations related to the use of Diuretics could be avoided by Athletes simply applying for Therapeutic Use Exemptions. issf-sports.org
ISSF’s TDP complies with the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standard for Testing and Investigations and respects the ISSF Anti-Doping Rules. The TDP shall be implemented by all ISSF Event Organisers and ISSF Technical Delegates throughout the calendar year. It shall also be evaluated, modified and updated periodically, as required, by the ISSF.
The Athlete Biological Passport
The ISSF believes that although a typical doping control approach based on the detection of prohibited substances or their metabolites in an athlete’s sample remains an effective approach to combat doping in shooting sport, it has limitations when an athlete may be using substances on an intermittent and low-dose basis.
Furthermore, notwithstanding all the advances that have been made in this field, it is hard to argue that new substances or modifications of prohibited substances (designer drugs) or methods continue to be difficult to detect by conventional analytical means. In fact, doping regimes have become much more scientifically planned and have taken full advantage of the weaknesses in traditional protocols.
These elements, among others including requirements under the Code, endorsed ISSF’s decision to implement a more sophisticated and complementary strategy to effectively fight doping in shooting sport in addition to traditional doping controls: the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP).
ISSF adopted the steroidal module of the ABP at the end of 2017 and is steadfast in its belief that the implementation of the ABP continues keep our anti-doping rule violations low by not only deterring potential cheaters but by making all our athletes more accountable.
ISSF trusts that it has properly integrated the ABP into its existing doping control program by weighing all factors including the required resources and capacity to operate such a program. As such, you can all expect ISSF to continue to build its ABP database in and to use it to complement all its other anti-doping initiatives effectively and efficiently.
ISSF thanks the Cologne Laboratory for its great work as the ISSF’s Athlete Passport Management Unit.
Testing
The TDP governs which method of testing shall be utilised in the course of each Championship or out-of-competition. Testing is planned by a qualified Testing Officer who is independent from ISSF. As instructed by the Testing Intelligence Officer, ISSF conducts a combination of random doping controls, targeted doping controls and requisite doping controls (Olympic Games Quota Places etc.).
Various factors, criteria and variables lead to the athlete selection process. These include but are not limited to athlete results and rankings, the ISSF’s Testing Intelligence Officer’s gathering and monitoring of relevant data and information, and totally random selections.
With the assistance of qualified National Anti-Doping Organisations teams and Doping Control Service Providers, ISSF shall carefully over-see the carrying out all doping controls throughout the year and in anticipation of the Paris Olympic Games, to determine if both the number of doping controls being conducted in-competition and out-of-competition and the doping control selection methods applied adequately fulfill the objectives of the TDP.
Quota places for Paris 2024 will start being distributed and as usual all such athletes will be tested.
You can expect the ITA and ISSF to report on the outcome of their 2024 at the end of next year.
Education
Ongoing initiatives
Every year, throughout the year, ISSF urges all its athletes, all its national federations and everyone involved in shooting sport, be it athlete support personnel, trainers, doctors, parents, etc. to get educated or better informed on anti-doping.
To this end, ISSF has established many educational vehicles through which it disseminates anti-doping information. The following are ongoing initiatives:
- The Information Portal On Doping (IPOD) has been regularly posted on the Athlete’s Page on the ISSF website and in the anti-doping section. The IPOD serves both as an information medium and as a reminder to all individuals involved in shooting sport to respect various responsibilities and obligations with regards to anti-doping. All past editions of the IPOD can be downloaded here issf-sports.org
- The ISSF website provides a wealth of information on doping, rules and regulations, answers to frequent questions and various links to all relevant WADA documents and anti-doping materials. Some of the materials can be found here:
- ISSF hopes to reach a wider range of athletes and gain greater support for its many anti-doping and other health related initiatives by way of its new partnership with the ITA. We will of course continue to post all future editions of the IPOD not only on the Anti-Doping Page but also on the Athletes Page on the ISSF website. issf-sports.org.
- The WADA website and ADEL have valuable materials for athletes, coaches, trainers etc. All of these can be downloaded for free from the ADEL website Anti-Doping Education and Learning (wada-ama.org) and the WADA website (www.wada-ama.org).
- All shooting sport athletes, their parents and coaches, support personnel and medical personnel etc. are encouraged to sign up for and use ADEL. ADEL is an online anti-doping platform that offers interactive and informative education modules for everyone involved in sport. ISSF has in fact make ADEL a mandatory component to obtaining and maintaining an ISSF coaching license. Please visit Anti-Doping Education and Learning (wada-ama.org)
- ADEL is offered in many languages and this should simplify the completion of the module.
- In order for ISSF to monitor your athletes’ mandatory successful completion of modules it is important that ISSF is designated as the relevant federation/organization on the ADEL registration page.
- The facilitating of ongoing cooperation between NADO and RADO’s and national federations also remains a priority. ISSF encourages NADOs to be proactive in reaching out to their national shooting federations in order to disseminate anti-doping education to national and regional level athletes, especially the juniors, via the national federation’s elected Education Information Officer.
- Remember that the goal is to foster and open the communication lines between national federations and their NADO – in your country’s primary language - so that you may work together in the common goal of educating national-level shooting athletes. Therefore,
- If your national federation has identified its Education Information Officer and that individual has not yet been contacted by your NADO or RADO, please also inform Doris at doris@issf-sports.org and she will assist in forwarding your request to the ITA who will then facilitate this initial introduction.
Upcoming initiatives
The ISSF will follow its Education Plan and implement its many educational initiatives.
As the ITA will be taking over the education program ,ISSF has at this time no idea what educational initiatives will be put in place. However the ISSF is confident that the ITA will continue to meet the high standard that the ISSF Anti-Doping Committee has set in the past.
Anti-Doping Rules
Everyone involved in shooting should and must get acquainted with the applicable Anti-Doping Rules and more importantly understand their respective responsibilities and obligations under these same Rules. As we are all bound by the same rules, it continues to be up to each of us to implement all the elements of the ISSF Anti-Doping Program, both in theory and in practice, as well as to comply with our respective obligations under the ISSF Anti-Doping Rules and the World Anti-Doping Code (“Code”).
As ISSF has repeated repeatedly…. Ignorance of the rules is never a defence.
Because you are all bound by the ISSF Anti-Doping Rules, ISSF invites you to carefully read them and to acknowledge all your respective obligations under these Rules. They can be downloaded off the ISSF website issf-sports.org.
ISSF always welcomes any questions any IPOD reader may have about the meaning or impact of any provision of its Anti-Doping Rules. Please remember that it is always better to ask questions and be well informed than to risk the potentially devastating consequences of being ill-informed.
2027 World Anti-Doping Code
How time flies by!
Already 3 years have passed since the latest Code came into effect on January 1 2023. WADA has started inviting comments and feedback in its revision process for the next version of the Code and International Standards which will come into effect January 1 2027.
The first consultation phase will end on 22 December 2023 and will be followed by a first draft. Following the first drafting phase stakeholders will be invited to provide input on the first drafts of each document. This consultation phase will be longer than usual to accommodate the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. Details about the second phase of the consultation will be provided by WADA to the sport community as soon as possible.
You are invited to register to WADAConnect (wada-ama.org) if you want to submit feedback on the next version of the Code.Final words
If the ISSF Anti Doping Committee has been proud of the work it has accomplished over the last few decades in carrying out its task and administrating its Code-compliant anti-doping program, it is equally proud to acknowledge the work that each of you has accomplished in 2023.
ISSF’s Anti-Doping Report would not be complete if it did not recognize the arduous work of:
- All ISSF national federations who respect their reporting and results management obligations and actively educate their athletes on the dangers of using prohibited substances.
- All ISSF Event Organisers who engage the services of qualified Sample Collection Agencies to carry out doping controls.
- All ISSF Technical Delegates who are committed and work hard to successfully carry out the ISSF Test Distribution Plan.
- All medical staff who must be mindful of the Prohibited List, offering Code-compliant consultations and properly filing out complete and timely TUE applications for international -level athletes.
- All athlete support personnel who deter athletes from using performance enhance substances by emphasizing the importance of proper training and nutrition and the adoption of ethical sporting values.
- All ISSF Coaches who completed the Coaches Module in ADEL.
- ISSF’s Athlete Passport Management Unit, the Cologne Laboratory, for its expertise and collaboration.
- All ISSF RTP athletes who submit timely and accurate whereabouts information;
and, - All athletes, at any level, who have made a personal decision not to use prohibited substances or methods to enhance their performance and discouraged others to do so as well.
ISSF THANKS EACH OF YOU for taking your responsibilities regarding anti-doping seriously and for protecting the integrity of shooting sport, for promoting the health and well-being of all ISSF athletes and for respecting and honouring the intrinsic values of sport.