New ISSF anti-doping rules to take effect from Jan 2021

The approved document has introduced some major changes with respect to the Code of 2015 and the ISSF has been made responsible for its compliance with it.

The shooting federation has now been made solely responsible for its compliance with the rules even when it delegates tasks like testing or hearing processes to others.

The Administrative Council at the International Shooting Sport Federation has unanimously approved the new anti-doping rules, which will be fully implemented from January 1 next year. The World Anti-Doping Agency has confirmed the new rules are consistent with the revised World Anti-Doping Code, which was ratified by all signatories in November 2019.

While most of the clauses in the WADA Model Rules were reproduced without changes, some had to be slightly amended according to the ISSF's requirements.

The approved 68-page document has introduced some major changes with respect to the Code of 2015 and the federation has now been made solely responsible for its compliance with the rules even when it delegates tasks like testing or hearing processes to others.

Additional two-year ban for fraudulent conduct

Anti-doping organizations, in the past, have experienced problems with athletes engaging in fraudulent conduct during the results management and hearing. Addressing the issue, an additional sanction of up to two years of ineligibility may now be imposed for a similar misconduct.

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The current sanction for an anti-doping rule violation involving “complicity” is two to four-year period of ineligibility. However, these violations can be very similar to violations involving “administration” (Article 2.8), where one faces a four-year to life ban. The range of ineligibility has been changed to a two-year to lifetime ineligibility, to ensure greater flexibility.

It has been further said that there will be no need to notify an athlete in advance, who gets associated, (in a sport-related capacity) with an athlete support person who is serving a period of ineligibility.

As of 2021, if an anti-doping organisation refuses to conduct the result management, WADA may designate another firm to conduct the same with the resulting cost borne by the refusing group.

No public reporting for minors

Minor elite athletes will also no longer be subject to the mandatory public reporting, in case of a violation.

When an international or national-level athlete in a ‘Registered Testing Pool’ retires and then wishes to make a comeback, he or she has to undergo tests at the respective international federation and the National Anti-Doping Organisation.

An athlete will now be given 20 days after the 'B' Sample result or notice of the ‘Use or Possession’ charge to admit a violation and accept a sanction reduced by a year.