All members of Basketball New Zealand are required to abide by New Zealand’s Sports Anti-Doping Rules. These rules reflect the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) World Anti-Doping Code.
There are ten anti-doping rule violations. In summary, the ten rule violations are:
- the presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in an athlete’s sample
- the use or attempted use by an athlete of a prohibited substance or method
- evading testing or refusing to provide a sample for drug testing
- failing to provide accurate and up-to-date whereabouts information or missing a test
- tampering or attempting to tamper with any part of the doping control process
- possessing prohibited substances or methods
- trafficking or attempting to traffic any prohibited substance or method
- administering or attempting to administer a prohibited substance or method to an athlete
- covering up an anti-doping rule violation
- an athlete associating with someone, such as a coach or medical professional, who has been found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation or equivalent.
The Prohibited List is published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) every year and details all substances and methods which are prohibited or banned in sport. A substance or method may be included on the list if it meets any two of the following criteria:
- It has the potential to enhance sporting performance
- It presents an actual or potential health risk to the athlete
- It violates the spirit of sport
The Prohibited List
Many medications contain substances that are prohibited in sport. Any athlete who is sick or injured needs to carefully consider the medications they take to ensure they avoid prohibited substances.
Contact DFSNZ for full information on medications that are not permitted in sport.
DFSNZ’s website medication check
0800 DRUGFREE (378 437)
Request a copy of DFSNZ’s wallet guide on the status of common medications.
Therapeutic Use Exemption
Athletes can apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) if they need to take medication which is prohibited in sport. If athletes compete at a top level, they may need to apply for a TUE before they take medication which contains a prohibited substance. Visit the TUE page on the DFSNZ website for more information.
Some athletes meet our criteria for needing a TUE in advance and others can apply retroactively. What does this mean?
In-Advance
‘In-advance’ means before taking the prohibited substance, before competing, or before getting tested.
If an athlete meets the in-advance criteria and is prescribed a prohibited substance, they must obtain TUE approval before starting the medication (unless in an emergency situation).
Or
If they are already taking the prohibited substance and then meet the in-advance criteria (are selected, registered, qualified, named, or contracted in listed teams and events), they must apply immediately before the comp/testing.
Retroactively
Athletes who do not meet the in advance criteria do not need to apply for a TUE before competing or taking the substance. In the event that they are tested and get an adverse finding, they will be given the opportunity to apply for a TUE at that stage (retroactively).
Please see the below flowchart to put this into context.
Many dietary or sports supplements are marketed as helping to improve performance, recovery, weight loss or muscle development, and, supplements can contain substances that are prohibited in sport and may not accurately label ingredients. Athletes should carefully assess their need for supplements and carefully research the supplements they choose to take.
Athletes should carefully assess their need for supplements and carefully research the supplements they choose to take.
Lodging a supplement query with DFSNZ can provide some assessment of the level of risk associated with supplements and may be able to identify products which are known to be a problem.
Anti-doping organisations, including DFSNZ, conduct drug tests on athletes out-of-competition with no advanced warning. The Athlete Whereabouts Programme allows DFSNZ to locate athletes for testing.
Drug testing is one of the best ways to identify athletes who are doping and to protect athletes who are clean competitors. Athletes can be tested during an event (in-competition) or at any other time (out-of-competition) and will be asked to provide a urine sample, a blood sample or both. The testing process and sample collection for doping control will be carried out by a trained and accredited DFSNZ official.
If you have any questions please contact DFSNZ on 0800 DRUGFREE (378 437)
For resources/education:
DFSNZ Education
DFSNZ Resources
DFSNZ E-learning
