As sailing is an Olympic sport, ISAF is required to undertake doping tests. ISAF has sub-contracted WADA and WADA authorized organisations to undertake a certain number of in and out of competition tests each year.

ISAF Anti-Doping Code

The ISAF Anti-Doping Code follows the WADA Anti-Doping Code.

Anti-Doping Overview

The information below is an introduction to the various aspects of dope testing in the sport of sailing at national and international level. This information should be read in conjunction with the Anti-Doping Code.

Doping Control Initiated by ISAF

Drug taking contravenes Fundamental Rule 5 of the ISAF Racing Rules of Sailing 2009-2012. As sailing is an Olympic sport, ISAF is required to undertake doping tests.

ISAF has sub-contracted the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and WADA authorized organisations to undertake a certain number of in and out of competition tests each year.

WADA has appointed the Drug Free Sport Consortium (DFSC) to perform sample collection and analyses via IOC accredited laboratories. The DFSC consists of the following agencies:

Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), Australian Sport Drug Agency (ASDA) and the Norwegian Olympic Committee & Confederation of Sports (NIF).

These agencies are certified to the strict Standard for Doping Control (ISDC) and the ISO 9002.

Who can be selected for testing?

In principle, any individual competing in a sanctioned national / international event is subject to testing either by the national authority or by WADA / WADA authorised organisations.

Under the terms of the agreement with WADA and WADA authorized organisations ISAF will identify the individuals selected for testing. Emphasis for ISAF initiated tests will be on sailors competing in the Olympic Classes. However, the priority for testing may differ for national authorities.

In-competition (ICT) is defined as that period of time between the scheduled time of the warning signal of the first race of the event, up to the closure of protest time following the final race of the event.

Out-of-Competition (OOCT) testing is defined as testing which takes place at other times outside the in-competition period. A fuller definition of out of competition testing is detailed in Regulation.

What are the Penalties & Sanctions for Drug Taking?

The penalties for doping are stated in the World Anti-Doping Code and the ISAF Regulation 21 - Anti-Doping Code.  In addition to any penalty imposed under Regulation 21.10 (Sanctions on Individuals) and Regulation 21.11 (Consequences to Teams) a competitor who has been found in breech of RRS Fundamental Rule 5 shall have his/her ISAF Eligibility suspended as provided in Regulation 19.

In the event of a positive test resulting after analysis of sample 'A' and sample 'B' in accordance with the procedures laid down in Regulation 21.10.1 and 21.2(a) - (c), the penalty will be:

First violation:  Two (2) years' ineligibility
Second violation:  Lifetime ineligibility

The Prohibited List identifies specified substances, which are particularly susceptible to unintentional anti-doping rules violations because of their general availablity in medicinal products or which are less likely to be successfully abused as doping agents.  Where a sailor can establish that the use of such a specified substance was not intended to enhance sport performance, the period of ineligibility above (found&nbspin Regulation 21.10.1) shall be replaced with the following:

First violation:  At a minimum, a warning and reprimand and no period of ineligibility from future events and at a maximum, one (1) years' ineligibility
Second violation:  Two (2) years' ineligibility
Third violation:  Lifetime ineligibility

See Regulation 21.2 for more information about Anti-Doping Rule Violations

See Regulation 21.10 for more information about Sanctions on Individuals

See Regulation 21.11 for more information about Consequences to Teams

Appeals Procedure

The first stage of appeal would be to refer to the appeal system at national level, if relevant.

The next step would be appeal to ISAF. The Executive Committee is the deciding body in cases of appeals and their decision is based on advice given by the 'Anti-Doping Panel' (ref. Regulation 21.13).

The competitor has twenty days from the date of the communication required by Regulation 21.3.2(e) to request a hearing or appeal to his/her Member National Authority, or to the ISAF if the testing was initiated by the ISAF.

If an individual still considers that an appeal has not been dealt with in a satisfactory manner the final stage of appeal is to the Court of Arbitration of Sport (CAS). CAS is an international arbitration court, which was created in 1984 by the International Olympic Committee. The CAS became independent in 1994. It is overseen by the International Council of Arbitration for Sport, which comprises 20 members and looks after the administration and financing of the CAS.

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) (formally known as: Declarations - Exemptions - Dispensations)

If an individual is taking a prohibited (banned) substance prescribed by a physician / consultant it is still possible to compete in the sport of sailing under the following conditions: N.B. If an MNA does not have a Medical Officer, the sailor must contact ISAF, and the Medical Commission will initiate the processes.

Doping Control at National Level

Many countries have introduced national doping programmes run by national anti-doping agencies authorised by the National Olympic Committee. The newly established United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) is a good example of how doping control is being monitored at a national level. Similar agencies have been operating in Europe and elsewhere for some time. MNAs are obliged to co-operate with national doping agencies to decide where and when testing will be undertaken. Generally, the emphasis is on testing sailors competing in Olympic Classes although any individual may be subject to testing under national law. ISAF has no involvement in such national doping tests.

Information for Disabled Sailors

Click here for the link to IPC Anti-Doping Code. Applied to Paralympic Games only