World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
It is WADA's mission to lead and coordinate the worldwide movement for doping free sport. WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. WADA is responsible for the global regulatory framework, the World Anti-Doping Code, and monitors its compliance as a mean to harmonize anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries. WADA is also responsible for the list of prohibited substances and methods, the accreditation of anti-doping laboratories and makes significant annual investments into anti-doping research. Other key activities include the development of strategies and standards for doping control, intelligence, information and education. WADA and the Code is supported by two international conventions, under Council of Europe and UNESCO.
Swedish Sports Confederation (RF)
The Swedish Sports Confederation (Riksidrottsförbundet, RF) is an umbrella organization for the Swedish sports movement with the task of supporting, representing and leading it, both nationally and internationally. In that role RF has also managed and coordinated the Swedish anti-doping program, since its inception in the 1980s. When the World Anti-Doping Code was first introduced in 2004, RF was also appointed as the Swedish National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO). The Swedish anti-doping rules and the anti-doping program are governed by the World Anti-Doping Code. Since January 1, 2021, Anti-Doping Sweden (ADSE) has taken over the role as the Swedish NADO.
Anti-Doping Sweden (ADSE)
To meet the requirements of the World Anti-Doping Code 2021, about a National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO) independent of sports, and to strengthen the Swedish anti-doping program, the Swedish Sports Confederation has formed a foundation - the Anti-Doping Foundation - which owns Anti-Doping Sweden Ltd (ADSE). Hence the ADSE is the new NADO and is thereby fully responsible for the Swedish anti-doping program.
The key tasks of the ADSE include:
- Establish and implement a business plan for its anti-doping activities.
- Implement the doping control program and manage the deployment of controls.
- Collect and investigate intelligence on doping misuse.
- Provide doping control services to national sport federations and clubs.
- Provide doping control services to international sport federations and organizers of international competitions in Sweden.
- Introduce new and revised rules.
- Continuously update the list of prohibited and allowed medicines, the “Red-green List”.
- Develop quality standards and safety measures in all anti-doping activities.
- Process and report potential anti-doping rule violations.
- Manage applications for therapeutic use exemption.
- Plan and carry out training of doping control officers.
- Support the Swedish sports movement with advice, information and training.
- Provide general information on anti-doping issues.
- Produce and disseminate information and training materials.
- Collaborate, internationally and nationally with relevant organizations and authorities.
More information about Anti-Doping Sweden is available here.
Anti-Doping Sweden's Executive Board
The Swedish anti-doping program is led and coordinated by the ADSE Executive Board, which is appointed by the Anti-Doping Foundation and consists of a chairman, vice chairman and two to seven other members. The members of the Executive Board must be independent from sports organizations (such as RF, SF and SOK), which is a requirement in the World Anti-Doping Code.
The key responsibilities of the Executive Board include:
- Ensuring that the anti-doping rules are complied with.
- Appointing members to the Charging Board, with the task to report anti-doping rule violations to RF's penal bodies. They shall also, where it appears from IDR, decide on a suspension for an anti-doping rule violation.
- Appointing a Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee, which decides on TUE applications.
- Informing the RF Executive Board (RS) if any SF does not fulfill its obligations according to the RF's statutes.
- Collaborating with WADA in investigations.
- Issuing instructions for anti-doping activities.
- Establishing operational objectives for the NADO.
- Management of approved grants.
- Adopting an annual doping control program.
- Promoting information, education and prevention.
- Promoting anti-doping research.
Doping Panel (DoN)
The Doping Panel (Dopingnämnden, DoN) is the first instance penal body for cases involving anti-doping rule violations. DoN consists of a chairman, vice chairman and four members elected by the RF biannual General Assembly.
The Supreme Sports Tribunal (RIN)
The Supreme Sports Tribunal (Riksidrottsnämnden, RIN) is the appeal penal body according to the Swedish anti-doping regulations and the RF's statutes. When DoN has announced its verdict in a doping case, it can be appealed to RIN, by the convicted person or by Anti-Doping Sweden. When RIN has announced its verdict, it is normally the last instance. Still, depending on the circumstances of the case, it may sometimes also be appealed to the international arbitral tribunal, Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). CAS may, however, dismiss the case.
RF Executive Board (RS)
RF's Executive Board (Riksidrottsstyrelsen, RS) formally approve instructions that are linked to the anti-doping regulations. RS may also approve changes to the regulations in-between the RF's General Assembly. All such decisions shall, where applicable, also be approved by the ADSE Executive Board.
Doping Control Officers
Anti-Doping Sweden (ADSE) have access to some 140+ trained and licensed Doping Control Officers (DCO) to carry out doping controls throughout Sweden. Of them some 60+ are head DCOs who leads the execution of the doping controls. The remaining 80+ are assistant DCOs. Only licensed officials may perform doping controls on behalf of ADSE.
District Federations
The RF and its sister organization for sports education and training, SISU, reaches all parts of Sweden through its District Federations and supports regional and local sport organizations with information, education and advice also on anti-doping issues. The district's also contribute to information campaigns and collaborate locally and regionally with relevant organizations and authorities. The districts also influence Anti-Doping Sweden's preventive doping controls, at lower competition levels and among general exercisers.
National Sport Federations (SF)
All sport federations shall establish an anti-doping program in accordance with RF's statutes. The programs are meant to guide and initiate active anti-doping activities within each federation as well as in its local clubs.
The federations also propose athletes to be included in the national doping control pool and ensures that Anti-Doping Sweden receives current information about prioritized athletes and clubs. Those who are part of the doping control pool are obliged to regularly report whereabouts information to enable effective doping controls. SF also reports national level camps, other athlete gatherings and changes of the national competition program.
The Swedish Doping Laboratory
The doping laboratory at the Karolinska University Hospital in Huddinge Sweden is one of WADA's accredited laboratories. The laboratory operations are regularly assessed by WADA through an extensive re-accreditation program which must be approved to uphold the status as an official doping laboratory. The Swedish laboratory has been accredited since 1985. Anti-Doping Sweden has an agreement with the doping laboratory on analyzes of doping control samples, urine and blood, from sports.
The global anti-doping program – a collaboration between sport organizations and nations
The global anti-doping program is ultimately about athletes' right to a doping-free sport. The code harmonizes the rules world-wide, between various International Sports Federations, National Anti-Doping Organizations and Olympic and Paralympic committees. Governments around the world have been involved in the development of the Code as well as in the drafting of international conventions that support anti-doping activities according to the Code. The common global anti-doping rules strengthen the legal security for both individual athletes and sports organizations.
Close to 700 sports organizations are signatories to the World Anti-Doping Code and thus follow these regulations and contribute to the global anti-doping program. With minor exceptions, all international sport federations, national anti-doping organizations, national Olympic Committees and Paralympic Committees are signatories. In addition, some 190+ nations have acceded to the UNESCO Convention against Doping in Sport. The governments of all these countries have thus committed to facilitate and support their sport organizations ability to comply with the requirements and rules of the World Anti-Doping Code.