Record Number of Doping Tests
Despite the difficult circumstances presented by the COVID-19 pandemic, testing work largely returned to normal during the reporting year. A new record was achieved with 2,266 doping tests carried out within the own testing program. 1,525 doping tests took place out-of-competition and 741 in-competition. There were only three instances in which a scheduled doping test could not take place because the athletes in question were in isolation due to testing positive for COVID.
13 Anti-Doping Rule Violations
In 2021, there were two instances whereby the national anti-doping organization applied the newly granted option to issue a ruling within the results management process. Three further cases were concluded via a court settlement; in one case, a suspension of three months and in the other two cases, a suspension of 36 months was imposed. Swiss Olympic’s Disciplinary Chamber for Doping Cases (DC) issued eight decisions on doping violations last year. This resulted in seven sanctions involving suspensions of between 9 and 48 months.
Record Figures also for Doping Prevention
After a year heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, prevention activities returned closer to normal in 2021. In total, some 4,300 individuals in competitive sports were reached via 152 education sessions and workshops, representing a new high in the history of the foundation. A new record was also set for the completion of the "Clean Winner" e-learning course, as the approximately 2,700 holders of a Swiss Olympic Card in the elite, bronze, silver, and gold categories had to fulfill their obligatory education requirements by the end of the year.
Positive Evaluation in Athlete Survey
In the summer of 2021, Swiss athletes were again surveyed about the fight against doping in Switzerland. The 627 participants awarded the work of Antidoping Switzerland very high marks. In particular, the safety of the doping controls carried out by the foundation and the quality of the work of the doping control officers were rated very positively. The various information services also received good to very good marks, with the medication inquiry service and the mobile app being rated as particularly important.
Independent Reporting Service for the Protection of all Athletes
The business year of 2021 was heavily influenced by successful efforts to create a national and independent Ethics Violation Reporting and Investigation Service for Swiss Sport. This was accompanied by an expansion of the purpose of the foundation and the renaming of the foundation from Antidoping Switzerland to Swiss Sport Integrity, which commenced operations on January 1, 2022. The first quarter reveals a great need for an independent reporting service in Swiss sport: on average, one report is received per day. The sports concerned are summer and winter sports, indoor and outdoor sports, individual and team sports, both male and female. This shows that strong commitment is required from all sports federations and all sports disciplines to achieve the cultural change in Swiss sports which is rightly being demanded by politics.
Necessary Expertise within Foundation Board
The adoption of the Ethics Statute of Swiss Sport laid the foundation for better safeguarding of athletes in Switzerland. The new scope of the foundation was also taken into account within the Foundation Board with the necessary expertise being incorporated. The Sports Parliament approved the addition of Katharina Albertan, Barbara Lustenberger and Bernard Schumacher, while the existing Foundation Board members Ulrich Kurmann (President), Emanuela Felley-Bosco (Vice-President), Markus Feller, Urs Karrer, Walter Mengisen, Pascal Oswald and Marc Schneeberger were confirmed.