Anti-Doping Rules

The International Olympic Committee Anti-Doping Rules, applicable to the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, Beijing 2008, will be in force for all competitors.

During the period of the Olympic Games - defined as “the period commencing on the date of the opening of the Olympic Village for the Olympic Games” - from 27 July-24 August, the International Olympic Committee (IOC), in cooperation with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and Beijing Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (BOCOG), will test the competitors at any time and at any place. In a change of policy, athletes will be tested whether they are at an Olympic venue, the Olympic Village or a far-away training facility. All controls will be coordinated under the IOC, while WADA will conduct pre-competition controls during the Olympic period on Olympic athletes not in Olympic venues and BOCOG will conduct controls at the Olympic venues.

Who Does What?

As the ruling body for the Olympic Games, the IOC will delegate the responsibility for implementing doping controls to the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) and WADA. They will act under the IOC’s authority. The IOC Medical Commission will be responsible for overseeing all doping control processes on-site, which will be in full compliance with the IOC Anti-Doping Rules, the World Anti-Doping Code and the International Standard for Testing (ISO9001:2000).

The tests will be conducted at 41 doping control stations, 34 located in Beijing and seven in the co-host cities. All venues will be equipped with a standard doping control station where blood and urine can be collected. The samples will be analysed in a period of between 24 and 72 hours only, depending on the kind of test.

Penalties

This year, those caught using a prohibited substance will face increased penalties. An athlete who tests positive will be denied the right to participate in the next Olympic Games. This ban will extend to those caught breaking the doping rules from 1 July 2008 and forward.