The Luxembourg Anti-Doping Agency (ALAD) has announced that its Board of Directors met recently and reviewed its activities in 2014 in which preparations were undertaken for the establishment of the new ALAD code.
On 1 January 2015 WADA introduced its new World Anti-Doping Code and international standards related to it. ALAD has transcribed the rules and principles set out in the global fight against doping in its own code. WADA officials have confirmed that the ALAD code has been found to comply with WADA's and can now be found on the agency website www.alad.lu.
The main changes from the 2009 code are:
1) The 2015 Code provides longer suspension periods (4 years) for the "real cheaters," but also greater flexibility in certain situations, especially in cases of doping not involving a deliberate act.
2) The period for calculating when three missed tests or failures to provide information about one's location, considered to be a violation of doping rules, has been reduced to 12 months from 18 months.
3) The importance of investigations and the sharing of information between the various anti-doping organisations to fight against doping has been emphasised.
4) The new code allows it possible to more effectively punish an athlete's support personnel involved in doping.
5) The new code puts extra emphasis on intelligent planning controls and smart menus for sample analysis.
6) The new code increases the statute of limitations from 8 to 10 years for disciplinary action against doping.
In 2014, ALAD undertook a total of 163 controls, following which 2 athletes (licensed in Luxembourg) were sanctioned for doping violations:
- In February 2014, a triathlete incurred a two-year ban for attempted use, and out-of-competition possession, of a banned substance.
- In June 2014, a one year suspension was issued against a cyclist for failing to undergo a doping control after notification as per the rules.
The list of prohibited substances and methods in 2015 can be found online at www.alad.lu, where once can also find a non-exhaustive list of authorised medicines that do not contain a substance subject to the Prohibited List.
