In advance of the Beijing Olympics, USADA is stepping up its educational efforts to assist America’s 2008 team delegation in preparing for the International Olympic Committee’s new Anti-Doping Rules for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. All delegation athletes will be subject to these Rules during the period of the Games, between the Athlete Village opening on July 27 through the Closing Ceremonies on August 24, and are subject to testing anywhere in the world during this time.
Important categories in these new Rules include, but are not limited to, Testing, Abbreviated and Standard Therapeutic Use Exemptions, Whereabouts Information, and Missed Tests.
USADA has conducted a series of webinar/conference call sessions, targeting team leaders, for the sports that are part of the 2008 Team USA, and has posted an audiocast on www.USADA.org/go/BeijingAudio for access by anyone who was not able to attend one of the webinars.
A one-page summary document highlighting these critical IOC Anti-Doping Rules is being distributed electronically to all team leaders, athletes, and athlete support personnel, and is posted on www.USADA.org/go/Beijing. A file listing resources is also available at www.USADA.org/go/BeijingResources.
In addition, USADA is focusing on communication with individual athletes who have current TUE’s and ATUE’s, athletes requiring updated whereabouts reporting, and athletes with two recorded missed tests in the past 18 months, in order to assist in their efforts to be compliant with published Rules going into the Games.
In serving its mission to preserve the well being of Olympic sport and integrity of competition, as well as ensure the health of all athletes, USADA works on a daily basis to proactively aid athletes in understanding the rules applicable to them. This includes comprehensive instruction on the agency’s website on the testing process and prohibited substances, and how to obtain permission to use a necessary medication. USADA also manages a drug reference hotline, conducts educational sessions with National Governing Bodies and their athletes, and proactively distributes a multitude of educational materials, such as the Prohibited Substance Guide, easy-reference wallet cards, periodic newsletters, and complete athlete toolkits.
USADA is responsible for the testing and results management process for U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Movement athletes, and is equally dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through research initiatives and educational programs.
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