Athletes, like all other people, may have an illness or a condition which needs treatment or requires them to take a medication. If the required medication falls under the Prohibited List, then a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) is a must. A TUE is an authorization for the athlete to take the needed medicine, for therapeutic purposes only.

TUE approval certainly protects athletes from receiving a sanction if a prohibited substance is found in their sample when they are tested.

The criteria for granting a TUE

An athlete can be given a TUE if they are able to show that each of the following conditions is met (for more details, please refer to the WADA International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE) Article 4.1)

• The athlete has a clear diagnosed medical condition which requires treatment using a prohibited substance or method.
• The therapeutic use of the substance would not produce significant enhancement of performance beyond the athlete’s normal state of health.
• There is no reasonable therapeutic alternative to the use of the prohibited substance or method.
• The necessity to use that substance or method is not the consequence of the prior use (without a TUE), of a substance or method which was prohibited at the time of use.

How to apply for TUE

TUEs are sumbitted to UAE NADA which will refer to TUE medical committee, considering all criteria and ensuring there is no unfair advantage given to the athlete by taking the substance or using the method.

When an athlete applies for a TUE, their doctor plays a major role in supplying the medical information necessary for the approval of a TUE.

UAE NADA Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (TUEC) depends  on the information supplied by the athlete's doctor to make the decision if the athlete's file meets the medical criteria set by the World Anti-Doping Agency. If an athlete's application has been returned to them because it is incomplete, they will receive instructions by the TUEC on what additional information is needed to make it a complete application.

Retroactive TUE

An athelete can apply for a retroactive application if:

• You required emergency or urgent treatment of a medical condition.
• There was insufficient time, opportunity or other exceptional circumstances that prevented you from submitting the TUE application, or having it evaluated, before getting tested.
• As per our UAE NADA anti-doping rules you were not permitted or required to apply in advance for a TUE.
• You are a lower level athlete who is not under the jurisdiction of an International Federation or National Anti-Doping Organization and were tested.
• You tested positive after using a substance Out-of-Competition that was only prohibited In-Competition (for example glucocorticoids).

In rare and exceptional circumstances and notwithstanding any other provision in the ISTUE, you may apply for and be granted retroactive approval for a therapeutic use of a prohibited substance or method, if considering the purpose of the Code, it would be manifestly unfair not to grant a retroactive TUE.

This unique retroactive TUE will only be granted with the prior approval of WADA (and WADA may in its absolute discretion agree with or reject the UAE NADA’s decision).

Important note

Using a prohibited substance or method without a TUE could result in an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

In case an application for a retroactive TUE is necessary following sample collection, you are advised to have a medical file prepared and ready to submit for evaluation.

You should declare any medication you are taking on your doping control form.