In order to promote its message of "Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best", the Gay Games has endeavoured to develop and implement policies that allow for safe and fair competition for all.
Among these policies is the Gay Games VIII Anti-Doping Policy. This policy, set forth below, was developed by the Federation of Gay Games (FGG) and games cologne gGmbH (Games Cologne) and will be implemented by Games Cologne.
Have a look at our FAQ-list about Anti Doping >>>
Step by Step Guide for the Dope Test Procedure >>>
The 2010 Prohibited List: WADA_LIST (PDF)
Medical File (PDF)
Objectives
- To promote “Participation, Inclusion, and Personal Best” for all participants in Gay Games VIII.
- To organise an event that offers a safe and level playing field for all participants.
- To promote healthy sport and healthy lifestyles.
- To educate the Gay Games community on the risks and challenges of doping in sport.
Means
The FGG and Games Cologne have decided to implement an Anti-Doping Policy based on information, education, and testing for performance-enhancing drugs.
This policy has been developed by Games Cologne and FGG with the support of the Biochemical Institute of the German Sports University Cologne (Biochemisches Institut der Deutschen Sporthochschule), and a group of international experts in sports medicine, testing for performance-enhancing drugs, education, and HIV research and treatment.
This policy shall take into account the fact that most participants in the Gay Games are not elite athletes, and that some of them have on-going medical conditions.
The following policy is designed to take these factors into account, while following the philosophy and procedures of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) [http://www.wada-ama.org].
Testing
A key element of the present Anti-Doping Policy is testing for performance-enhancing drugs as defined on the WADA list of prohibited substances.
Drugs testing concerns:
- Any participant
- In any sport
- By any approved method of testing
- For any prohibited substance (see below).
Prohibited substances
Testing is for substance on the WADA list of prohibited substance in effect at the time of GGVIII.
You are responsible for knowing if any substance you are taking for a prescribed medical treatment is on this list of prohibited substance.
Please consult your national WADA-affiliated anti-doping agency for more information and for the latest list of prohibited substances.
Note that prohibited substances may also be found in nutritional substances, creams, lotions, "natural" and "herbal" products, and over-the-counter medicine.
See the list on the following website: http://www.wada-ama.org/en/dynamic.ch2?pageCategory.id=448
Sample collection
Instructions on when and where athletes may be designated for testing will be provided at a later date.
Any failure to be present at the designated time and place will be treated as a positive test result.
If designated for testing, a participant must immediately follow the instructions of the chaperone and go to the sample collection area.
Participants who miss the sample collection will be treated as tested positive.
Medal awards
Because all testing will be done at Gay Games VIII, all medal awards and rankings for all sports are provisional, pending final testing results.
Final testing results for each sport will be announced promptly at the end of the testing, analysis, and appeals process.
Medical Review Commission
- A Gay Games VIII Medical Review Commission will be established to evaluate any positive test results on a case-by-case basis.
- The Medical Review Commission will be made up of recognised experts on sports medicine and other relevant parties.
- Due consideration of medical conditions and recognised treatments will be given in the Medical Review Commission’s evaluation, along with the participant's sport and the nature and quantities of the substances in question.
- The Medical Review Commission will especially take into account that in case of HIV infection, age-related treatments and gender reassignment treatments, participants may have special needs of treatment with substances which may be listed on the WADA list at the time of the testing
- The Medical Review Commission will have sole discretion to determine whether any such athlete has violated the Anti-Doping Policy, based on the entire situation of the athlete, notwithstanding any positive test result.
- The Medical Review Commission is an independent body.
Supporting documents (medical file)
In order to allow for this review, any sports participant who is concerned that his or her medical treatment may have an effect on any test results may choose to prepare a medical file containing copies of relevant medical records.
Download Medical File (PDF)
The medical file must contain:
- full name, date of birth, full address of the participant, and Gay Games VIII registration number
- full name, title, and address of the prescribing physician
- the diagnosis of the condition requiring the use of prohibited substances
- the prescription
- the official name of the substances in the prescription as defined in the WADA list of prohibited substances
- the prescribed dosage
- The medical file shall be submitted in English or German
- Any material errors in translation will result in the file being rejected
- Participants who wish to submit this medical file for review by the Medical Review Commission in case of testing must make it available at the moment of sample collection in a closed envelope.
- Any medical files submitted will be kept secure and the information therein will be held in strict confidentiality
- The submission of medical files shall be regarded as confirmation by the tested participant that the files shall be reviewed by the Medical review Commission
- All such documents have to be issued and subscribed by a medical doctor including her/his address, phone-number and mail address. In some countries this may also be executed by an authorized pharmacist as well as an authorized medical assistent.
Results of testing
The files of those participants with negative tests will be immediately destroyed.
The files of those participants with positive test whose medical claim has been approved by the Medical Review Commission will also be immediately destroyed.
Participants tested positive and confirmed by the Medical Review Commission will be informed by e-mail
Appeals process
Participants whose test results are positive after review by the Medical Review Commission may choose to appeal the decision of the Medical Review Commission to the Appeals Committee. The Appeals Committee is independent of the Medical Review Commission and composed of three medical professionals.
The appeals process will be as follows:
- Within thirty (30) days after you receive notification of the Medical Review Commission’s negative determination, you must submit an appeals request to the Appeals Committee and to the Medical Review Commission by e-mail.
- Within seven (7) days after receiving your request, the Appeals Committee will reply by e-mail with a proposal of three dates and times for a telephone conference with you.
- Within seven (7) days after these suggestions are made by the Appeals Committee, you must reply by e-mail to indicate the time you prefer for the telephone conference.
- Within seven (7) days after the Medical Review Commission receives your request, the Medical Review Commission will provide you and the Appeals Committee with the positive test result(s) on which it based its decision and copies of the medical files that were provided by you prior to the testing.
- If you wish to provide additional documentation in support of your appeal, you may submit this documentation to the Appeal Committee within fourteen (14) days after you receive the positive test results and copies of medical files from the Medical Review Commission.
- On the date of the hearing, a representative of the Medical Review Commission will explain the factors the Commission took into consideration in rendering its decision and you will then have the opportunity to explain rebut the Medical Review Commission’s points.
- Within twenty-one (21) days of the hearing, the Appeals Committee will render a decision whether to uphold or overturn the Medical Review Commission’s decision.
- Any participant may on his/her own expense request testing of their "B" sample, the results of which may be introduced into the appeals procedure. This request must be made at the time of the appeal. All deadlines will be suspended during the time needed for testing of the "B" sample.
- Before your appeal can be considered, you must return any medal awarded, and file a deposit of 500 euros. This deposit will be returned if your appeal is successful
Confidentiality:
- Medical files will be presented to the Medical Review Commission in an anonymous fashion.
- Any medical files for participants with negative test results will be immediately destroyed.
- Any medical files for participants with positive or indeterminate test results will be immediately destroyed after final resolution.
- Upon the winding up of Games Cologne, all medical files held by Games Cologne for unresolved cases in dispute will be transferred to the FGG for safekeeping. No member of the FGG will have access to review the medical files except as necessary to resolve disputes over the Medical Review Commission’s decision. Any medical files will be immediately destroyed after final resolution.
Sanctions:
Sanctions will be imposed at the sole discretion of Games Cologne and the FGG, and may include:
- Return of any medals awarded
- Removal of participant's name from final results
- Reporting of participant’s name and sport to the Federation of Gay Games.
In the event of a sanction, neither Games Cologne nor the FGG will disclose any information other than the foregoing.
