Athletes may have to update their Whereabouts giving information of where they train.
Whereabouts is a system designed to support testing programmes.
Some athletes may be selected for the National Registered Testing Pool (NRTP) or International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP). This means that they are required to supply details of their whereabouts so that they can be tested at any time and anywhere without notification in advance.
Athletes nominated for inclusion in the NRTP or IRTP will be notified by their National Governing Body (NGB) or by UK Anti-Doping.
Make sure that you know if any of the athletes you treat are part of the UK’s NRTP or the IRTP. If they are, it is advised that you ask when their designated hour slot is, so you can ensure that they do not risk missing their one-hour testing slot.
The scenario below illustrates how athletes can commonly miss a test and highlights the importance of athlete support personnel knowing of an athlete’s whereabouts commitments.
Case example
An athlete states their designated hour is during training, between 10:00am and 11:00am. At 10:00am they become injured and are taken to the physiotherapy room for treatment. The treatment room is in a separate building 15 minutes’ drive away. Whilst the athlete is undergoing their treatment, a doping control officer turns up at the training ground (as indicated by the athlete’s whereabouts) to notify the athlete they have been selected for a doping test. They are not there.
This scenario can have major implications for athletes. Any athlete not present in their specified hour can be issued with a ‘missed test’. Any combination of three missed tests or whereabouts filing failures in an 18-month period is an ADRV.
Always ask athletes on an NRTP or IRTP if they need to update their whereabouts. Find out more about whereabouts.
