RESPONSIBILITY FOR DOPING CONTROL

Testing by FINA and the BSF must substantially comply with the most current WADA International Standard for Testing more particularly described below.

All BSF Competitors must submit to In- and Out-of-Competition Doping Controls carried out according to the FINA Anti-Doping Rules or other applicable regulations [e.g., BSF or BOA].

FINA is entitled to carry out Doping Control in and out of Competition on any BSF-affiliated Competitor. The FINA Bureau will appoint one or more people to a Doping Control Commission to conduct Doping Control at all FINA Competitions. FINA may designate any party that it deems suitable to collect Doping Control Samples. FINA calls the designated party a "Sampling Agent or Agency" [SA].

At the Olympic Games, the FINA Executive, in collaboration with the IOC Medical Commission, will determine the number of Competitors for Testing each day in each aquatic discipline. The applicable procedures will be the IOC’s then-current anti-doping rules. A similar procedure will apply in all other aquatics Competitions not organised by FINA, with the collaboration of the appropriate medical and organising committees.

FINA is responsible for conducting Doping Control at all FINA Competitions. The FINA Doping Panel will hear all disputes regarding Doping Control and anti-doping rules violations at the FINA Competitions.

At every aquatics Competition conducted by FINA-recognised Continental Bodies [such as the Amateur Swimming Union of The Americas for the Pan American Games] or by a regional organisation comprising Member Federations of FINA [such as CCCAN for the CAC Games, the CAC Swimming Championships and CISC], the respective Continental Body [ASUA] or regional organisation [CCCAN] is responsible for conducting Doping Control. Excluding Disqualifications from ASUA or CCCAN Competitions or from the results of those Competitions, the FINA Doping Panel will conduct hearings regarding sanctions for anti-doping rules violations at these Competitions.

Except where Doping Control occurs under the rules of another Bahamian sports body, the BSF is responsible for conducting Doping Control at any aquatics Competitions held in The Bahamas. The BSF must comply with FINA Testing procedures or, at the minimum, procedures substantially consistent with the current WADA International Standard for Testing. The BSF's Testing procedures may differ slightly from the FINA Testing procedures, but only to the extent that the difference does not affect the reliability of the Sample results. The FINA Bureau sanction the BSF if the BSF does not apply Testing procedures according to the FINA Doping Control Rules.

Where Doping Control on a Competitor from another FINA Member Federation at a Competition in The Bahamas results in a positive test, the BSF must report the test results to that Competitor’s Federation. The Competitor’s Federation must conduct the appropriate disciplinary hearing and impose the appropriate sanctions on the Competitor. The BSF must also send a copy of the positive Doping Control test report to FINA.

Similarly, where Doping Control on a BSF-registered Competitor at a Competition outside The Bahamas results in a positive test, that FINA Member Federation must report the test results to the BSF. The BSF must conduct the appropriate disciplinary hearing and impose the appropriate sanctions on its Competitor. FINA Member Federations must also send a copy of positive Doping Control test reports to FINA.

DOPING CONTROL IN FINA COMPETITIONS

The Doping Control Commission and the FINA Bureau Delegate at the Competition will decide the selection of Competitors for Testing at all FINA Competitions. They will make their selections before the start of each race or Competition. In Water Polo, the draw will occur immediately after the beginning of the last period of the game. All participating Competitors are eligible for selection.

Any swimmers establishing or breaking a World Record must submit to Doping Control following their race. FINA will test all Competitors swimming on a relay team that breaks or equals a World Record. If they do not conduct Doping Control at the Competition, Competitors must submit to Doping Control within 24 hours after their race. FINA will not recognise World Records without a negative doping test certificate for all Prohibited Substances or Methods identified on the Prohibited List for which an analytical technique is available. Any Competitor anticipating a possible World Record is responsible for ensuring that Doping Control is available.

If a BSF Competitor achieves a national record in a FINA Competition but is not selected for Doping Control, and the BSF’s Swimming Records Rules are similar to FINA’s Doping Control Rules [see DC 5.3.2 or Paragraph 6.3.2 above], the BSF may request FINA to conduct Doping Control on the BSF Competitor upon payment of a reasonable fee as determined by FINA.

IN-COMPETITION TESTING

The following procedures apply whenever any Competitor is selected for Doping Control during a Competition:

A member of the Doping Control Commission, or its designate [the "Escort"], writes the Competitor’s name on a notification card and presents it to the Competitor, as discreetly as possible, immediately after the event. The Competitor confirms receipt of the card by signing it and retains a copy. The Escort must also record the time of signing on the card. Until the Competitor reports to the Doping Control station, he or she must always stay in the escort’s view.

If a Competitor refuses to sign the notification card, the Escort will immediately report this to the Doping Control Commission. The Doping Control Commission will then attempt to inform the Competitor of his or her obligation to undergo Doping Control. If the Competitor fails or refuses to sign the notification card, or fails to report to Doping Control within one hour of acknowledging the notice, FINA will deem that he or she refused to submit to Doping Control for the purposes of the Doping Control Rules [see DC 2.3 and DC 10.4.1 or Paragraph 2.3 above and Paragraph 12.4.1 below]. Even if the Competitor is reluctant to report to the Doping Control station, the Escort will continue to keep the Competitor in view until there is no question that the Competitor has refused to submit to Doping Control.

The Competitor must appear in the Doping Control station within sixty (60) minutes after notification. However, if the Competitor has another Event closely following, he or she may request the appointed Doping Control Commission to delay his or her arrival to the Doping Control station until sixty (60) minutes after the completion of his or her final Event of that session. If a Competitor later refuses Doping Control, the Escort will record this on the notification card and notify the FINA Executive.

A representative from the BSF with Competition accreditation is entitled to accompany a BSF Competitor to the Doping Control station.

At the Doping Control station, the Competitor must produce his or her identification. If the Clerk of Course has picked up the Competitor’s accreditation before the Competition, that accreditation is sufficient. The Sample collection official records the Competitor’s time of arrival at the Doping Control station on the doping protocol form.

If a Competitor has to leave the Doping Control station for any justifiable reason, he or she may do so only under the constant supervision of an Escort.

Only the following persons may be present in the Doping Control station:
(a)   Doping Control Commission

(b)   Staff assigned to the station

(c)   Authorised interpreters

(d)   The Competitors selected for Doping Control and their respective accredited representative

(e)   Other persons only with the permission of the Doping Control Commission.
The news media are not admitted to the Doping Control station. The doors of the station must not be left open. Photography is not permitted in the Doping Control station during its operating hours.

UNANNOUNCED TESTING BY FINA

FINA may conduct unannounced Doping Control at any time, including during a Competition in The Bahamas or elsewhere. Preferably, unannounced Doping Control will occur without any advance notice to a BSF Competitor or to the BSF. Every BSF-registered Competitor is obligated to undergo unannounced Doping Control as decided by FINA.

Consequently, the BSF and every FINA Member Federation must include in their Rules a provision obligating the Federation to allow unannounced Doping Control of any Competitor under its jurisdiction. The BSF must cooperate with FINA and, where appropriate, other Member Federations, in carrying out unannounced Testing. Any FINA Member Federation preventing, hindering or otherwise obstructing such Testing is liable to sanctions [see FINA Constitution Rule C 12].

FINA keeps a register of BSF and other Competitors who undergo unannounced Doping Control. Whenever requested to do so by FINA, the BSF must submit the names, current places of living, addresses, training times and facilities, and telephone numbers of any of its Competitors to enable FINA to conduct unannounced Testing.

Both the BSF and each BSF Competitor specifically identified by FINA for Out-of Competition Testing are obligated to keep FINA informed about where FINA can meet the Competitor for unannounced Testing at any time, using the FINA Competitor Location and Training Schedule Forms [see Appendix A]. If a BSF Competitor is unavailable for unannounced Testing because he or she has given FINA incorrect or insufficient information, the BSF must pay FINA’s expenses for the unsuccessful attempt of Testing.

If FINA attempts to conduct unannounced Testing but twice is unable to find a BSF Competitor at the address or location provided to them for such purposes, FINA will send a notice to both the Competitor and the BSF regarding the situation, and request more detailed information about the Competitor’s schedule. If FINA cannot subsequently find the Competitor for a Doping Control test during a period up to twelve (12) months from the first date that FINA was unable to find the Competitor, they will consider the Competitor as having committed a doping violation [see DC 2.4 or Paragraph 2.4 above].

A BSF Competitor who fails to submit location information, after receipt of a formal written warning from FINA to do so, is considered to have committed a doping violation [see DC 2.4 or Paragraph 2.4 above].

FINA Forms to download (in PDF Format):

1)   FINA's Competitor Location Form    (13kb)

2)   FINA's Competitor Training Schedule Form    (13kb)

3)   FINA's Declaration of Drug Use Form    (56kb)

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