Anti-Doping

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Anti-doping

The Government of Canada has been firmly committed to the anti-doping movement in order to protect the integrity of sport and the health and well-being of athletes. We work in collaboration with a number of key organizations in anti-doping, including:

Sport Canada's Anti-Doping Sanctions

Authorities

The Government of Canada (Sport Canada) has had a policy against doping in sport in one form or another since October 1983. The current policy is the Canadian Policy Against Doping in Sport (CPADS), which was endorsed by the Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers responsible for Sport, Recreation and Fitness in February 2011.

The CPADS is consistent with the Canadian Sport Policy, endorsed by Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers in 2012, which places particular emphasis on ethics and values in sport. Further, the CPADS responds to the responsibility within the Physical Activity and Sport Act, 2003, to ensure that the federal government's "policy regarding sport is founded on the highest ethical standards and values, including doping-free sport". (Physical Activity and Sport Act, L.C. 2003, c. C-2, subsection 4 (1))

The CPADS respects the priorities and responsibilities contained within the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport.

Endorsement of the CPADS and adoption of the CADP, (as applicable), is a condition of eligibility for funding for all NSOs and MSOs. In addition, athletes must respect and abide by the CADP; NSO athlete agreements and conditions of funding under the Athlete Assistance Program.

Context

The motivation for developing, maintaining and updating anti-doping policies has always been based on an unequivocal opposition to the use of banned substances or methods to enhance performance. The use or practice of such substances or methods undermines the integrity of sport and may threaten or risk the health of the individual. The Government of Canada's opposition to doping has and continues to be demonstrated by strict financial sanctions designed to act as a deterrent to all individuals in all roles in Canadian sport and to support and respect sport ineligibility sanctions imposed by the authorized sport organizations on individuals who violate anti-doping rules.

It is the belief and position of the Government of Canada that participation in sport at all levels should never be undermined or compromised by the practice of doping. Support from the Government of Canada to enable individuals to be active in sport at all levels and to develop and support high performance excellence is compromised when our true sport values are threatened or undermined.

The negative effects and implications of doping in sport are not limited to the individuals directly involved; the impact is felt across the entire sport community.

The withdrawal of federal financial support through Sport Canada's funding programs is consistent with the Government of Canada's, and specifically Sport Canada's, long-standing position and efforts in anti-doping.

Scope

Building on existing policies, practices, commitments and obligations, the following is designed to clearly articulate the sanctions that will be imposed within the grant and contribution programs administered by the Government of Canada, through Sport Canada, as a result of an anti-doping rule violation.

This administrative action applies automatically to any individual sanctioned with sport ineligibility by any anti-doping organization (which includes National Sport Organizations), when such sanctions are imposed in conformity with the World Anti-Doping Code.

Application

Sport ineligibility resulting from anti-doping rule violations attaches to the individual and follows that individual into any subsequent role that he/she might assume in sport, for the duration of the sanction, regardless of retirement or change in role.

Federal funding ineligibility respects this same approach. Specifically, federal funding ineligibility attaches to the individual and follows that individual into any subsequent role that he/she might assume in sport for the duration of the sanction, regardless of retirement or change in role.

Funding Categories

There are two types of federal funding categories available through Sport Canada programs: 1. direct; and 2. indirect funding. The category of indirect funding is further subdivided into two areas: (a) Salary Support; and (b) Sport-Related Benefits. Definitions of these different types of funding are as follows:

  1. Direct funding – Athlete Assistance Program:

    Refers to financial support provided to an individual through the Athlete Assistance Program (carding), in the form of monthly stipends, tuition, deferred tuition, and supplementary support.

  2. Indirect Funding

    1. Salary Support:

      Refers to financial support provided to an individual, through a sport organization (National Sport Organization, Multisport Service Organization), or other supported organization, towards any salary, contract for services, employment benefits, fees, honoraria and/or travel or reimbursement for travel or other expenses.

    2. Sport-Related Benefits:

      Refers to financial support, through a sport organization, (National Sport Organization, Multisport Service Organization), or other supported organization, which enables an individual to benefit from the provision of other services. This includes but is not limited to: national team support, travel; training camps, facilities and other training; technical support (coaching, physiotherapy etc.); or any other service / benefit including access to Canadian Sport Centre's and their services, available as a result of Sport Canada funding.

Sport Canada Funding Ineligibility

Funding ineligibility is directly linked to the sport ineligibility sanction received by an individual as a result of an anti-doping rule violation. The funding ineligibility is an administrative sanction that is imposed automatically under one of two categories: 1. sport ineligibility of two (2) years or more, or, 2. sport ineligibility of less than two (2) years.

  1. Sport Ineligibility of Two (2) Years or More:

    Any individual who has been sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to or recognized under the CADP or its predecessors resulting in a two-year period of sport ineligibility or greater is permanently ineligible to receive any Direct – Athlete Assistance Program.

    Any individual who has been sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to or recognized under the CADP or its predecessors resulting in a two-year period of sport ineligibility or greater and, where applicable, has not been reinstated, is permanently ineligible to receive any Indirect - Salary Support funding.

    In addition, any individual who has been sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to or recognized under the CADP or its predecessors resulting in a two-year period of sport ineligibility or greater and, where applicable, has not been reinstated, is ineligible to receive any Indirect - Sport-Related Benefits while serving their sport ineligibility sanction.

  2. Sport Ineligibility of Less than Two (2) Years:

    Any individual who has been sanctioned for an anti-doping rule violation pursuant to or recognized under the CADP or its predecessors resulting in a period of sport ineligibility of less than two years is ineligible to receive any Direct – Athlete Assistance Program including being able to be renominated for a new carding cycle that commences during the sanction period, Indirect - Salary Support and/or Indirect - Sport-Related Benefits while serving their sport ineligibility sanction.

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