Anti-Doping Programme

Aims

The Football Association (The FA) Anti-Doping Programme combines research, education and drug testing. It is designed to ensure that The FA is up to date with developments and research into anti-doping , that football’s Participants are sufficiently educated about both the regulations relating to anti-doping and the risks of doping that it is effective in detecting and deterring drug use within the game.

The fundamental aims of the Anti-Doping Programme laid down by The FA, FIFA, UEFA and WADA are threefold:-

• To uphold and preserve the ethics of sport.
• To safeguard the physical health and mental integrity of players.
• To ensure that all players have an equal chance.

The FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations are WADA Code compliant and The FA works closely with its stakeholders to ensure that the anti-doping programme is effective and maintains the integrity of English football against the threat presented by doping in sport.

Testing Programme

The FA conducts drug testing both in competition (post match) and out of competition (at training sessions and player’s home addresses). Players can be selected for a drug test in either a random or a targeted basis. The FA seeks to use all intelligence and research available to identify the areas of highest doping risk and tailors its testing programme accordingly.

Players are tested for the prohibited substances contained within The FA’s Anti-Doping Regulations via urine and/or blood samples. The FA conducts drug tests on players via the collection of blood and urine samples. All tests are collected by Doping Control Officers (DCO) and Chaperones, who are accredited to World Anti Doping Code (WADC) standards. They are assisted by a Football Association Supervising Officer (FASO) who acts as a facilitator for all involved in the testing process. Samples collected under The FA Anti-Doping Programme are only ever analysed at WADA-accredited laboratories. This ensures that players and The FA can have full confidence in the accuracy of a test result.

Findings Table

Medical Advice

Details on how to check your medication

Many medications available for common medical conditions, such as asthma, hay fever, colds and 'flu may contain prohibited substances. Players need to be aware that these are readily available in products prescribed by your doctor or bought over the counter in a pharmacy.

The advice from The FA and UK Anti-Doping is simple - check every single substance or medication before you use it, even if you have used it before. It is also important to remember that medications bought abroad may contain different substances than those in the UK and you should always check each substance before you take them.

Checking your medication

One way to check the status of a medication or substance is the Global Drug Reference Online (Global DRO). This service provides a way by which players and support personnel can check the status of medications based on the current World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List.  
 
Global Drug Reference Online: www.globaldro.com

Please note that this website is not suitable for checking the prohibited status of social drugs used out-of-competition, as contained in the preamble to FA Anti-Doping Regulations.

Players and support personnel can also contact The FA Anti- Doping Department if they are unsure about the status of a particular medication or need any further advice.

Supplements

Although not prohibited, the use of supplements is not without risk.

Dietary and nutritional supplements are not prohibited for use in football; however, this does not mean that their use is without risk.

Firstly, whilst there is an array of supplements available from a variety of sources, evidence supporting their claims to improve physical attributes such as strength and endurance is often limited.

Secondly, because supplement companies are not required by law to list all the ingredients in their products, they can be a risk for footballers because some may contain banned substances that are not listed on the label. These companies are also not subject to the same quality control procedures as those in the pharmaceutical industry, meaning that there is a risk of contamination with a prohibited substance that even the manufacturers themselves may be unaware of.

The FA does not recommend that players take supplements, but if you do decide to take them, you are strongly advised to consult your club medical staff first.  Make sure that you limit the risks as much as possible:

• Assess the need - Seek expert nutritional/dietary advice.
• Assess the risk - know, understand and address the risks of contamination. 
• Make an informed decision - try to use a reliable manufacturer or try to find products that are independently screened for the presence of prohibited substances. See www.informed-sport.com which provides a testing and accreditation process for supplements.*

Always remember that you are responsible for anything that is in your body when you are drug tested.  If you test positive because of a contaminated supplement, you would face the same suspension as if you had deliberately taken a banned substance.

Further information on the use of supplements in sport can be found by clicking here.

*Note that whilst using a regulated manufacturer/supplier may help to reduce risk, it remains a player’s responsibility to ensure that they do not take prohibited substances.  The FA accepts no liability for the contents of supplements produced, recommended or approved by Informed Sport or any other organisation.

Education

The FA considers education to be not only fair to players as part of its duty of care as a regulator, but also an essential tool in attempting to address both doping and social drug use in football. The FA operates its own sport-specific anti-doping education programme, supporting players of all ages with targeted information designed and delivered in accordance with the culture and language of the sport. 

The FA education programme is one of the largest in world sport, covering over 15,000 players from youth to professional level, including both male and female players. The programme is advised by UKAD to ensure adherence to UK anti-doping educational policy wherever possible, and also utilises specialist drugs and alcohol education organisations to inform social drugs and alcohol policy.

Please see the resource documents below for the most recent player education material.

Test Your Knowledge

WADA's Play True Quiz is an interactive computer game that tests athletes’ knowledge about anti-doping.

An integral element of its Outreach Program, WADA devoted considerable resources to the development of the interactive computer game which has been showcased at major events including the Olympics, Paralympics and many world championships.

Have a go yourself - click on the icon below and test your knowledge: