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GOVERNMENT OF JAMAICA

An Agency of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport

ANTI-DOPING RULE VIOLATIONS AND SANCTIONS

The World Anti-Doping Code defines doping as the occurrence of one or more of the Anti-Doping Rule Violations outlined in the Code. ‘Doping’ is more than simply using a prohibited substance or prohibited method. Currently, there are eleven (11) Anti-Doping Rule Violations.

Anti-Doping Rule Violations 
Athletes (and other individuals) are responsible for knowing what constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and the substances and methods which have been included on WADA’s Prohibited List.

The following constitutes an Anti-Doping Rule Violation: 

  • Presence of a prohibited substance (or its metabolites or markers) in an athlete’s sample. 
  • Use or attempted use by an athlete of a prohibited substance or prohibited method. 
  • Evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection. 
  • Whereabouts failures (Any combination of three ‘Filing Failures’ and/or ‘Missed Tests’ in a 12-month period). 
  • Tampering or attempted tampering with any part of doping control. 
  • Possession of prohibited substance or prohibited method. 
  • Trafficking or attempted trafficking in any prohibited substance or prohibited method. 
  • Administration or attempted administration to an athlete of any prohibited substance or prohibited method. 
  • Complicity or attempted complicity. 
  • Prohibited Association. 
  • Acts by an athlete or other person to discourage or retaliate against reporting to authorities. 

ANTI-DOPING SANCTIONS

A sanction is imposed by the Independent Anti-Doping Disciplinary Panel once an Anti-Doping Rule Violation has been determined.

Length of Sanctions
Sanctions for Anti-Doping Rule Violations may range from a public reprimand to a lifetime ban. The period of ineligibility may vary depending on but not limited to the following:


Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

  • The circumstance of an individual case, that is, the person’s degree of fault or negligence, and/or the seriousness of the violation. 
  • The substance and whether or not it is the first time the offence is being committed. 
  • Aggravating Circumstances. 
  • Results Management Agreements. 
  • Multiple Violations.
The range of sanctions as stipulated by the World Anti-Doping Code includes:
  • Presence of prohibited substance/banned substance, its metabolites or markers in a sample: a reprimand and no period of ineligibility to maximum 4 years ineligibility from sport
  • Possession of banned substances or method: a reprimand and no period of ineligibility to a maximum of 4 years ineligibility from sport
  • Use or attempted use of prohibited substances or methods: a reprimand and no period of ineligibility to a maximum of 4 years ineligibility from sport
  • Whereabouts: 1 to 2 years ineligibility from sport
  • Evading, refusing or failing to submit to sample collection: a reprimand and no period of ineligibility to 4 years ineligibility from sport
  • Tampering or attempted tampering with the doping control process: a reprimand and no period of ineligibility to 4 years ineligibility from sport
  • Trafficking or attempted trafficking: a minimum of 4 years ineligibility from sport up to a lifetime ban
  • Administration or attempted administration: a minimum of 4 years ineligibility from sport up to a lifetime ban
  • Complicity or Attempted Complicity (assisting, encouraging, aiding, abetting, conspiring, covering up an Anti-Doping Rule Violation): a minimum of 2 years up to lifetime ineligibility
  • Prohibited Association: 1 to 2 years ineligibility from sport
  • Acts by an athlete or other person to discourage or retaliate against reporting to authorities: a minimum of 2 years to lifetime ineligibility

CONSEQUENCES

The most common penalty for an Anti-Doping Rule Violation is a sanction imposing a period of ineligibility to participate in sport.

In addition to a period of ineligibility, there may be other consequences of committing an Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Such as: 

  • Automatic disqualification of individual results, including forfeiture of medals, points and prizes 
  • Disqualification of results in the event during which a violation occurs 
  • Disqualification of results in competitions subsequent to the initial test sample 
  • Ineligibility to compete in the next Olympic or Paralympic Games

Consequences for Team Sport
If more than two members of a team in a Team Sport are found to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation during an event period, the ruling body of the event shall impose an appropriate sanction on the team (e.g., loss of points, disqualification from a competition or event, or other sanction) in addition to any consequences imposed upon the individual athletes committing the Anti-Doping Rule Violation.