Anti-Doping Information
What is Doping Control?
Doping Control, the terminology in sport that refers to drug testing for performance enhancing substances, is the process of collecting samples for analysis as described in the international standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency and specific International Federations. Doping Control is now referred to as CleanSport.
All Athletes, Officials, Managers, Trainers, and other Participants must agree to and comply with the provisions of the current version of the USA Dance CleanSport Policy. It is the personal responsibility of each participant subject to the provisions of the policy to ensure that they do not use or allow the use of any prohibited substance or prohibited method.
As participants in our National Sports Programs, all DanceSport members are required to comply with the policy.
At the National Competition level, prior to check in with the registrar, both members of the partnership must complete and sign the Form of Consent, in person, with the anti-doping official on site or their representative. In the case of a minor athlete, a parent or designated guardian must also sign the Form of Consent. Once the “Form of Consent” is completed by both members of the partnership, the registrar may then complete the registration process and issue the competitor number.
Use of substances on the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List for medical reasons requires an approved Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) form or a Declaration of Use. To gain approval, an athlete must submit the appropriate application form along with substantial medical justification for the use of the prohibited substance at least 30 days in advance of the event. To determine if a TUE is needed, WHEN to apply for a TUE, and HOW to submit a TUE, please follow the procedure found on the National Anti-Doping Agency’s web site at USADA.org under the athlete tab.
The following athletes must obtain a TUE from WDSF: Athletes in the WDSF International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP) and Athletes participating in an International Event and/or included in the top 250 of the WDSF Ranking List for which a TUE granted pursuant to the WDSF Rules is required. Completed forms are to be submitted to the Chair of the WDSF Anti-Doping Commission. Athletes that don’t belong to the aforementioned category must obtain a TUE from USADA.org. All athletes with TUEs must submit them to the USA Dance Anti-Doping Chair in advance of the National Ballroom DanceSport Championship.
Tested DanceSport Athletes will be sent the confidential test results. In the case of a negative result, the Anti-Doping Chairperson will promptly pass on the results via email. In the case of Adverse Analytical finding or Atypical Findings, the Anti-Doping Chairperson will inform the DanceSport Athlete via Certified mail. DanceSport Athletes must accept the certified letter notifying them of the results of doping tests. All letters will be sent to the address furnished to the Doping Control Officer at the time of testing. A failure of the DanceSport Athlete to accept delivery of this notice will result in disciplinary action.
Refusal to comply with the administration of doping controls will result in the immediate suspension of the Athlete. If the refusal to comply occurs at a competition the Athlete will be disqualified from all events, lose claim to all awards and titles, and must return all awards to the organizer. For a doping violation, the Athlete and partner will be disqualified from all events at the competition where the test was administered and will lose claim to all awards and titles and must return all awards to USA Dance, Inc. An Athlete is ineligible to continue to be registered as or to compete as an Athlete if found by the Ballroom Advisory Council to have violated any provision of the Anti-Doping Code. An anti-doping violation, in connection with an IN-COMPETITION test automatically leads to the DISQUALIFICATION of the individual’s and partnership’s result obtained in that COMPETITION with all resulting consequences, including forfeiture of any medals, points, and prizes, irrespective of any other sanction that may be applied, subject to the provisions of this article. In the event of a dancer from a formation team being disqualified, this DISQUALIFICATION extends to the entire formation team.
We encourage all DanceSport Athletes, Adjudicators, Trainers, Officials, and Social Dancers to explore the following websites to further your understanding of Anti-Doping Controls at USA Dance Competitions.
