By WADA President\u00a0Sir Craig Reedie<\/p>\n
Whereabouts<\/strong><\/em>: an important initiative allowing clean sport to prosper<\/strong> \u201cADAMS is a system that continually improves for everyone\u2019s benefit\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n WADA introduced\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>in 2004,<\/em>\u00a0which requires athletes to provide their Anti-Doping Organisation with details of where they can be found for one hour every day (between 5 a.m. and 11 p.m.). With this, they can be reached for testing during out-of-competition periods at their home, in their hotel room or even at their training location. Anti-doping Organisations are then able to detect the doping patterns of those who want to rob the majority of athletes \u2013 the clean athletes \u2013 of their glory. \u201cUnder the 2003 Code<\/u>, each country or sport had different rules: some organisations said three missed tests in 18 months would constitute a violation; some said three missed tests in five years would; although, the period of ineligibility for breaching the rules ranged from three months to two years. WADA has since strengthened the requirement \u2013 the 2015 Code brought in a standard two-year sanction and \u2018three strike in 12-months rule\u2019 – and, as with all anti-doping rules, this has brought more consistency and fairness to the table where previously there was disparity.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSince 2004, WADA has continually strengthened Whereabouts, and brought more consistency and fairness to the table where previously there was disparity\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n With\u00a0Whereabouts,<\/em>\u00a0<\/em>it is predominantly a selection of elite athletes – in what we call a \u2018Registered Testing Pool\u2019 \u2013 that is required to enter their\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0data into ADAMS. In doing so, these athletes help simplify the work of the anti-doping community. Knowing where athletes can be found for testing \u2013 and testing in a surprised manner – is absolutely crucial to ensuring that effective anti-doping programs prosper. It is this element of surprise that maximises the potential for catching the cheats.<\/p>\n \u201cIt is the element of surprise [in Whereabouts] that maximises the potential for doping athletes to be caught.\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n By providing\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>, an athlete provides proof that he or she is clean.\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0information enables Anti-Doping Organizations to locate athletes with no advance notice, which is vital to catching athletes who choose to cheat themselves, their sport and those that love sport and all that it stands for.<\/p>\n A fair and improved system fit for 2015<\/strong> \u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n \u201cWhereabouts – in bringing the period of time for the \u201cthree strike\u201d rule down from 18 months to 12 -acknowledges that some athletes, far from being intentional cheats, may simply have been careless\u201d<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Backed by athletes worldwide<\/strong>
\nAs the spirit of clean sport thrives and many in the sporting community fight the good fight against doping, we can see the ambassadorial role the athlete has as paramount to this most global of issues. One of WADA\u2019s priorities is to provide athletes of the world with better tools to protect the integrity of their sport, allowing them and their fellow athletes to compete on a level playing field. Given all the talk that there has been lately in the media of missed tests and WADA\u2019s\u00a0Whereabouts\u00a0<\/em>requirements, we felt the time was right to shine a light on the importance of\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0and the Agency\u2019s Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) – a secure web-based system that, in particular, stores laboratory results, Therapeutic-Use Exemptions and information on Anti-Doping Rule Violations.\u00a0 WADA continues to improve ADAMS for everyone\u2019s benefit in anti-doping, and it will be given a major facelift in 2016.<\/p>\n
\nThere were significant changes brought about through the 2015 World Anti-Doping Code; such as:\u00a0 tougher periods of ineligibility, high quality testing, athlete entourage rules and a greater emphasis on investigations.\u00a0 We also saw a real improvement to the\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0rule which acknowledges that some athletes, far from being intentional cheats, may simply have been careless in completing their\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0requirements. Under the previous Code, when an athlete missed three tests (or had three filing failures) in 18 months, it was a violation. Under the new Code, three strikes in 12 months constitute a violation. This change shows that the system is both proportionate and fair, and delivers for the athlete.<\/p>\n
\nSome athletes \u2013 though I am pleased to say not most – have criticized\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>, believing it to be invasive and cumbersome; however, most of us in sport see it as a necessary and efficient way to make sure that clean sport prevails. Having the backing of athletes worldwide should be a barometer for the success of any anti-doping rules, and\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0is no different. We have received a vast array of testimonials from athletes of all levels, from all sports and all countries, who see the far-reaching benefits of having this requirement in place. Many have agreed that completing\u00a0Whereabouts<\/em>\u00a0is not a big sacrifice to make for the sake of proving that they, and their sport, are clean. I recall a Roger Federer interview in 2009 when he said:<\/p>\n