The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Wednesday released updated guidance for anti-doping organizations to handle testing during the coronavirus pandemic.
The 17-page document includes not much in the way of concrete information, except to reinforce existing protocols such as hand-washing and mask-wearing in anti-doping interactions. But it does provide a blueprint on how anti-doping organizations (ADOs) can continue thinking about safety in the testing procress. WADA cedes jurisdiction on testing to relevant government health authorities. The recommendations “aim to offer a starting point for ADOs as they plan to resume testing operations.”
The documents seeks to help ADOs assess when to restart testing by looking at factors like the status of the pandemic in an area, current restrictions, when competitions are restarting and availability of personal protective equipment (PPE). It argues for a phased-in approach that includes such precautions as urine testing only (instead of urine and blood) and prioritizing higher-risk tests based on who is competing when, sports/discipline and intelligence or past irregularities.
The recommendations extend the March 20 update. It does not broach any implementation of remote anti-doping testing as what the USADA piloted last month.
“As always, our first priority must be public health, safety and social responsibility,” WADA president Witold Banka said in a press statement. “Therefore, we continue to urge everyone to follow closely the advice of relevant health authorities and government agencies. Where testing programs can resume, we are providing clear guidance so that the integrity of the system can be maintained without jeopardizing the health of athletes, sample collection personnel or anyone coming into contact with them. It is crucial that the system can return to full power as quickly as possible once the various restrictions are lifted, in line with the different circumstances around the world.”
Other recommendations include:
- Ensuring supply of PPE and cleaning products (with an eye toward eventual supplies of COVID-19 tests)
- Clear communication of limitations and/or new procedures to athletes
- Disseminating educational resources to testers and athletes about hygiene and social distancing in interactions
- Health screenings for testers before and after testing
- Development of contingencies if testers and/or athletes test positive for the virus after interaction
WADA will also develop a “strategic testing working group” to collect feedback from ADOs and refine recommendations moving forward.