Latest achievements in the FAI Anti-Doping Plan

Our refreshed Anti-Doping Plan is progressing well. We have accomplished the majority of the objectives and tasks. We are now finalizing the plan.

Progression in the FAI Anti-Doping Plan

Our refreshed Anti-Doping Plan, launched in 2012 by the FAI ADAG (Anti-Doping Advisory Group), is progressing well. We have accomplished the majority of the objectives and tasks announced in previous newsletters including: conducting a risk analysis; FAI Anti-Doping Plan update; RTP selection procedure and launch for 2013; and, establishing an agreement with SportAccord to conduct testing and manage the FAI RTP on behalf of the FAI.

We are now finalizing the plan, as explained below, around the next actions which we need to take.

Planning of In- and Out-of-Competition Testing

The schedule for In-Competition testing has been established with SportAccord following a specific confidential procedure. Out-of-Competition testing will start soon now that the RTP (Registered Testing Pool) is running smoothly. Out-of-Competition testing will be achieved primarily through the use of “targeted testing” (meaning the selection of Athletes for testing …at a specified time).This will enable us to test for those substances that we believe are most likely to be an issue for aviation sports.

The desire to achieve a good level of testing this year is linked to our wish to be able to update the FAI risk profile as discussed later in this newsletter.

Review of Education material

Our intention is to develop an appropriate education plan, mainly through our website, to inform pilots and the wider aviation sports community about doping and its consequences. It is planned to make the best use of the educational materials already available from WADA and ensure that participants and officials in sanctioned FAI events are knowledgeable about the anti-doping programme and their responsibilities.

The most important tool we will use to spread our message will be the FAI website (availability of brochures, links, videos, quiz, etc) and we therefore encourage all competitors to regularly visit our dedicated page at http://www.fai.org/cimp-projects/cimp-fai-anti-doping-programme. In addition, we intend to implement a more direct- programme oriented at reaching the pilots at events or during seminars. This will be a mid-term projects as it involves financial resources which are not yet available.

Update of FAI Anti-Doping Rules and Procedures

The FAI Anti-Doping Rules and Procedures are currently under review. The process started end of 2012 with the intention of assuring that our rules are compliant with the World Anti-Doping Code and our needs. As far as our needs are concerned, there is some flexibility for us to amend our rules but all International Federations have to follow a document issued by the WADA and called “Model Rules” which allows limited customization.

It is not planned to spend too much energy in adapting our rules now as an exhaustive review will have to happen in the beginning of 2014. In fact, the World Anti-Doping Code is also currently under review and will be officially approved at WADA next World Conference (November 2013) and come into effect beginning of 2015. We have made submissions to this reviewing support of better recognition of the differences between sports and the likely doping risk in different sports.

Anti-Doping Review Panel and Anti-Doping Advisory Group

The FAI Anti-Doping Rules and Procedures expect us to create an Anti-Doping Review Panel (ADRP), which is responsible for the review of adverse findings. This Panel is being considered and Terms of Reference have been drafted and should soon been published.

At the same time, we have been working on creating Terms of Reference for the ADAG (Anti-Doping Advisory Group). This group was initially a temporary working group but might become a permanent one which means that it needs to be formalized.

The proposals for the ADRP and the updated ADAG are being considered by the FAI Executive Board for approval.

Update of the FAI risk profile

In the end, when all the remaining actions will be achieved, we will be in the position of updating our risk profile and adapt the FAI Plan for next year. It is our intention that, by the end of 2013, we will be able to:
-    show that we comply with the decision taken by the General Conference in Krakow to fully conform to the Code ;
-    close the gaps in our doping testing;
-    minimise the impact on the RTP by using targeted testing;
-    use the results from all previous testing plus the testing conducted in 2012 and 2013 to demonstrate to WADA that there is no value in using out-of-competition testing in aviation sports.

Next steps

As you can see, several activities are under progress and we will keep you informed about any advancement as soon as it occurs.

Again, we invite you to regularly visit our dedicated webpage (see link above) and to send any questions you might have to our Anti-Doping Manager, Mrs. Ségolène Rouillon.

FAI Anti-Doping Newsletter

The newsletter is available under pdf format here available below: