Athletes who have been selected by UAE National Anti-Doping Agency to be included into the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) or Testing Pool (TP) are required to provide accurate and updated Whereabouts Information to ensure they can be tested at anytime and anywhere with no advance notice.

These information must be entered and updated in the Anti-Doping Administration Management System (ADAMS), managed by WADA.

1) If you are in a Testing Pool you must provide your quarterly Whereabouts information in ADAMS on the last day of each quarter.

2) Athletes on the National Registered Testing Pool (NRTP) or International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP), you must provide the following information:

1. Overnight accommodation

2. 60-minute timeslot

3. Regular activities, such as training, work, or school

Competitions

For athletes on the Domestic Testing Pool, you must provide all the above, except for the 60-minute timeslot.

1. You must ensure that you provide clear instructions so that you can be easily located. For example, if your house/flat is in a rural area or not particularly obvious to a visitor, further guidance may be needed for the Doping Control Officer to find you. Access/buzzer codes, security numbers, hotel room numbers or side doors must be detailed in the ‘Additional Information’ section on ADAMS.

2. Add all your regular overnight residences to your ADAMS address book - this will allow you to make changes easily.

3. Whilst competing you must always include the competition title and the venue’s location on your Whereabouts profile. You must also continue to provide a 60-minute time slot (NRTP only), even on competition days.

3. Whilst travelling abroad you should use the travel function in ADAMS. This should be used for all travel, and it must be used when you are unable to provide a 60-minute time slot between 5am and 11pm or an overnight accommodation entry due to travel. You should also include all travel details, e.g. flight numbers and air carriers.

If you retire from sport when you are on a Testing Pool, then you must let your National Governing Body and UAE Anti-Doping know as soon as possible. If you choose to return to sport, you must give six months’ written notice to your International Federation and UAE Anti-Doping. If you do not provide UAE NADA with six months’ notice of your intentions to return to sport, any competitive results obtained during this period shall be disqualified.

Whereabouts Failures

If you file your Whereabouts late, forget to update any changes or are not where you say you are, you could receive a Whereabouts Failure.

1) Filing Failure – If an athlete on a testing pool provides inaccurate or insufficient Whereabouts information which means they’re not accessible for testing, they are subject to what is called a Filing Failure. These can also be issued if an athlete does not file the required Whereabouts information by the quarterly deadline.

2) Missed Test (NRTP only) – Athletes on the NRTP can be subject to a Missed Test if they are not available for testing during their 60-minute timeslot.

Three Whereabouts failures in a rolling 12-month period leads to:

NRTP = Anti-Doping Rule Violation and a potential two-year ban from sport.

DTP = Added to the NRTP.

You are responsible for the accuracy of your Whereabouts, even if you delegate this task to someone else. If you are competing aboard, injured, attending a Major Games or on holiday your Whereabouts must always be up to date – no excuses.

Your National Governing Body or UAE Anti-Doping can help if you have any questions.

UAE NADA monitors the frequency of last-minute unplanned changes on athlete’s Whereabouts profiles. If we believe that your updates are suspicious, you could be investigated for an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.

What you should do?

1. Download the WADA Athlete Central Mobile App from the App Store here or Google Play.

2. Set phone reminders for each day to check your Whereabouts information is accurate and up to date–this can be done on the app.

3. Tell your family, friends, coach and support staff that you need to provide Whereabouts information so that they can help remind you when your Whereabouts change.

4. Print a copy of your ADAMS calendar for coaches and support staff.

5. Make sure your email and phone numbers are up to date on your ADAMS profile, so reminders can be sent to you regarding submitting your Whereabouts for the next quarter.

Where to go for further advice?

For more information on Whereabouts, ADAMS or what being on a Testing Pool means, visit the WADA website. You can also contact UAE NADA at info@uaenada.ae if you need help.