Anti-Doping

On this page

• Sport Canada's Anti-Doping Sanctions
  • Authorities
  • Context
  • Scope
  • Application
  • Funding Categories
    • 1. Direct funding – Athlete Assistance Program:
    • 2. Indirect Funding
  • Sport Canada Funding Ineligibility
    • 1. Sport Ineligibility of Two (2) Years or More:
    • 2. Sport Ineligibility of Less than Two (2) Years:

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:

• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA): Canada has hosted the WADA headquarters in Montreal since 2001 and assists the organization in its efforts to gain worldwide harmonization of anti-doping policies and programs. WADA's efforts are aimed at ensuring compliance with the World Anti-Doping Code and related International Standards by all signatories including International Sport Federations, Major Games Franchise holders, and National and Regional Anti-Doping Organizations. Governments are equal partners with the Olympic movement in terms of governance and financial support of WADA.
• UNESCO and the International Convention against Doping in Sport: The purpose of the Convention is to harmonize anti-doping efforts worldwide and to provide an internationally recognized framework for governmental anti-doping measures, including domestic measures, support for the principles of the World Anti-Doping Code, and equal funding of WADA with the Olympic movement. Canada played a leadership role in the development of the Convention, as the chair of the drafting committee and as the second country in the world to accept it in 2005. As of December 2025, 192 countries have accepted or ratified the Convention which demonstrates the extent of its worldwide appeal and application. Canada participates in UNESCO Conference of States Parties meetings which are held every two years to track governmental progress related to the Convention and identify next steps.
• Canada ratified the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention in 1996 and is a State Party to the Monitoring Group of this instrument.
• The government of Canada is also a key member of the International Anti-Doping Arrangement (IADA) since 1991 which is a collective of like-minded anti-doping leading countries.
• On top of those international commitments, Canada also participates in the activities of the One Voice platform for all governments participating in WADA activities, as well as in the ones of the Americas Council of Sport/Consejo Americano del Deporte (CADE). CADE is a group of government officials representing the Americas region for the purpose of sharing information and discussing key issues on sport and anti-doping.
• Sport Integrity Canada : The Government of Canada is a strong partner in support of Sport Integrity Canada as an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.
• Formerly known as the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sports, Sport Integrity Canada is responsible for the administration of the World Anti-Doping Code-compliant Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) and works closely with National Sport Organizations (NSOs) and Multisport Service Organizations (MSOs) in its implementation to protect the interests of clean sport and of athletes and athletes support personnel. Sport Integrity Canada also provides advice and works with the Government of Canada to prepare for and participate in international fora.
• Sport Integrity Canada also serves as the central authority for maltreatment in Canada, independent of national sport organizations. It administers the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport (UCCMS) through the Canadian Safe Sport Program (CSSP), acting as a centralized hub to receive, investigate, and address reports of abuse, harassment, and discrimination.

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 2025 Canadian Sport Policy, endorsed by Federal, Provincial and Territorial Ministers, which places particular emphasis on ethics, integrity 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 expresses and bounds governments to respect the priorities and responsibilities contained within the UNESCO International Convention Against Doping in Sport.

Endorsement of the CPADS and adoption of the CADP), 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 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 support funding – 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 support funding – Athlete Assistance Program while serving their sport ineligibility sanction and is also ineligible 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.