Athletes, like all others, may fall sick or sustain an injury. Anti-doping rules also apply in such cases. Various key points should therefore be taken into account to avoid an unintentional violation of these rules.

Medication may be prohibited according to the Prohibited List. Products, which appear at first glance to have no performance-enhancing effect may, in fact, contain prohibited substances or be administered as a prohibited method. This applies to medication for a wide range of therapeutic applications, including some that are available over the counter (without prescription) in pharmacies and drug stores, such as certain cold and flu medications. Athletes should therefore check the prohibited status of each medication individually.

The medication inquiry service Global DRO is a simple tool for checking the prohibited status of medication. Before using a medication, athletes should always check for themselves whether or not it is permitted.

Medication Inquiry Service Global DRO

Athletes are responsible at all times for ensuring that no prohibited substances enter their bodies. In everyday life, care should be taken to avoid any unintentional anti-doping rule violation. Athletes can protect themselves by:

• pointing out to healthcare professionals during consultations or treatments that they must comply with the anti-doping rules, and that these must be taken into account when selecting a treatment;
• checking each medication with the medication inquiry service Global DRO prior to their use, and repeating these checks at the turn of the year;
• asking Swiss Sport Integrity in the event of anything being uncertain or unclear

Vaccinations are only partially included in the medication inquiry service Global DRO with a general name (e.g. “influenza vaccine”). Vaccinations, including RNA vaccines, are permitted according to the Prohibited List.

Medication prescribed by a doctor

For medically prescribed medication that is prohibited according to the Prohibited List, the anti-doping rules stipulate a therapeutic use exemption (TUE).

One of the conditions for the approval of a TUE is that no reasonable, permitted therapeutic alternative can be used. For athletes, therefore, therapies permitted according to the Prohibited List should be prescribed first and foremost. Athletes can check with their physician whether a permitted therapy can be used. No TUE is required for permitted therapies.

Permitted Alternatives

Medication purchased in a pharmacy or drugstore

Medication purchased at the pharmacy or drugstore may also be prohibited according to the Prohibited List. Generally, for medications that are sold over-the counter in pharmacies and drugstores and which are prohibited according to the Prohibited List, there is a permitted alternative. When choosing over-the-counter medications in pharmacies or drugstores, it is therefore recommended to seek a permitted alternative directly with the health professionals. No TUE application can be submitted for medication used by athletes without a doctor's prescription, as the necessary diagnosis for the application is missing.

Recommendations:

• Only include medication in your medicine cabinet that is permitted at all times. You must check carefully which flu and cold medicines are permitted, as there is a great risk of confusion.
• Only take permitted medication with you in your travel pharmacy. If you need to obtain medication abroad, use the medication query of the country in question to check. If none is available, you can check the active ingredients with the medication inquiry service Global DRO. Please note that medication from other countries may have similar names but contain different active ingredients.

The procedure of a surgery itself is not subject to any restrictions with regard to the anti-doping regulations. The decisive factor is always the medication used before, during and after a surgery. In the case of planned interventions or other medical procedures (e.g. diagnostic clarifications), athletes are requested to check the doping status of the planned medication in advance. In addition, the medication actually used should be checked after the procedure. Even in the case of emergency surgery, the medication used should be checked afterwards as soon as the health situation allows.

(from January 1, 2025, an “Information sheet on surgeries” will be available) 

In the event of a medical emergency, health comes first. Read more about this topic on the relevant page.

Medical Emergencies

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

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