Australian Government: Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority

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Drugs, medications and substances in sport

Therapeutic Use Exemptions

If an athlete needs to take a banned substance, they can apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

TUEs are administered by ASADA’s partner organisation, the Australian Sports Drug Medical Advisory Committee (ASDMAC).

More information on the TUE process
Apply for a TUE [ASDMAC site]

 

Watch a video on prohibited substances and methods [streaming FLV - 8.8MB]

 

Watch a video on Therapeutic Use Exemptions [streaming FLV - 15.09MB]

Athletes can’t just take any drug or medication, or even use any training method. Some drugs, medications and substances are banned in sport, as are some methods.

Important information about the 2012 Prohibited List

 

On 1 January 2012, the 2012 Prohibited List comes into effect.

The 2012 Prohibited List reflects the latest scientific advances and offers a number of noteworthy changes compared to the 2011 List.

The major change to the 2012 List which will affect Australian athletes and support personnel is to inhaled formoterol.

In its announcement of the 2012 List WADA advised that, “The List prohibits the administration of all beta-2 agonists except salbutamol (maximum 1600 micrograms over 24 hours), salmeterol when taken by inhalation, and now formoterol (maximum 36 micrograms taken over 24 hours).”

WADA also has a monitoring program that focuses on substances which are not on the Prohibited List, but which it wishes to monitor in order to detect patterns of misuse in sport.

WADA has added the following to its monitoring program this year:

  • in-competition: nicotine, hydrocodone, tramadol
  • out-of-competition: glucocorticosteroids (which are currently only prohibited in-competition).

 

To give you a chance to familiarise yourself with the List, WADA has published it on their website along with a summary of major modifications and details on the 2012 monitoring program.

 

How substances come to be prohibited

For a substance or method to be prohibited, it must meet two of the following three conditions:

  1. The substance or method has the potential to enhance, or does enhance performance in sport.
  2. The substance or method has the potential to risk the athlete’s health.
  3. The substance or method is deemed to violate the spirit of sport.

 

Watch a video on prohibited substances and methods [streaming FLV - 8.8MB]

 

The full definitions of reasons why methods and substances are prohibited (along with the rest of the World Anti-Doping Code) can be found on World Anti-Doping Agency’s website.

Every athlete is responsible for the substances that enter their body. Athletes are also responsible for any method they undertake. ASADA takes its list of prohibited substances and methods from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

ASADA can help athletes and their support personnel check substances they may have to take, as well as find out more about banned substances and methods.

 

 

Check your substances


  1. Click the ‘check your substances’ button on this or any other page of the ASADA website.
  2. Choose your sport, gender and your role (e.g. athlete or medical professional)– this ensures you get the right result.
  3. Enter the name of the Australian medication.
  4. Get your results instantly in a new window. If you want to check more than one substance, go back to step three.
  5. Click ‘log out and print session receipt’*. Either save your receipt electronically or print it out.

*You will be given a reference number to document your search results. It is extremely important that you retain your reference number, as proof of your research before using the medication or substance. This may help you if you are ever called upon to provide that information in the future.

Pseudoephedrine

Pseudoephedrine is prohibited above 150 micrograms per millilitre, under the List.

Athletes should not take pseudoephedrine 24 hours prior to or during competition.
There are permitted alternatives which you can take in this time period.

Out-of-competition there is no need for a TUE to take pseudoephedrine.

For therapeutic applications in-competition, consider the use of alternative permitted medications upon previous consultation with a physician, or apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Overseas products

Drugs, medications and substances listed on the ASADA website are only brand-name products sold in Australia. Be extremely careful when using an overseas product.

You might not find medications or substances listed on the ASADA website if they are an overseas product, a new product, or if you are searching by the generic product name or ingredients.

Some medications obtained overseas have the same brand name as medications sold in Australia, but they may contain different ingredients. Although the name and logo may be identical to that in Australia, overseas products may contain substances that are prohibited in sport.