FAQs

I can’t find the product I am looking for.

If a medication cannot be found by the inquiry service, this does NOT mean that it is permitted for use!

First check that the name of the medication has been entered correctly. Type in just a few letters of its name.

Your search may have been unsuccessful for the following reasons:

  1. The product you are searching for is a nutritional supplement rather than a medication - please see the next question for further information about such products.
  2. The country you have selected is incorrect. Select the country where the medication was purchased.
    Inquiry Process: Select the Country
  3. You are searching for a medication that is not licensed for use within Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Switzerland, the UK, or the USA, and is therefore not included in Global DRO. Please consult the medication inquiries of other countries.
  4. The medication may be new on the market, and yet to go through the Global DRO data review process.

If you cannot find your medication in the medication inquiry service, please do not hesitate to contact us with the medication name and list of active ingredients.

Why can't I find my nutritional supplement products on Global DRO?

The medication inquiry service Global DRO does NOT contain any information on, or that applies to, any nutritional supplement, unless an ingredient on the label is known to be prohibited.

Nutritional supplements may also contain prohibited substances even if their individual ingredients are displayed as not prohibited in Global DRO, or are not contained in the medication inquiry service. Nutritional supplements may contain prohibited active ingredients, which are not specified on the packaging, or alternate names may be used for ingredients, which cannot be found in Global DRO. Athletes use nutritional supplements at their own risk.          

Please visit the website of Swiss Sport Integrity for more information about the risks associated with nutritional supplements.

I have checked my medication and it is prohibited.  What do I need to do now?

Consult a healthcare professional to identify a reasonable permitted alternative therapy and use this, wherever possible.

There are situations in which athletes need to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method, as specified by the Prohibited List, for health reasons. The anti-doping rules therefore stipulate therapeutic use exemptions, or TUE for short.

The TUE Wizard provides information on the TUE process.

What does ‘In-Competition’ and ‘Out-of-Competition’ mean?

‘In-Competition’ is the period commencing at 11:59 pm on the day before a competition in which the athlete is scheduled to participate, through to the end of such competition and the sample collection process related to such competition. ‘Out-of-Competition» refers to any time that is not ‘In-Competition’. WADA-approved exceptions to this definition are possible.

If a substance is prohibited ‘In-Competition’, its use during this period or its detection in a doping control that takes place ‘In-Competition’, among others, is considered an anti-doping rule violation. Exceptions to this are cases in which a therapeutic use exemption (TUE) has been granted or can be granted retroactively.

Caution: some substances remain detectable for a long time. This means that they can be detected during a doping control taking place ‘In-Competition’, even if they are no longer being used on the day of the competition.

Why is it important to select the correct sport when searching Global DRO?

Some substances are prohibited only in specific sports. For this reason, these sports are listed individually. However, most sports are not affected and therefore summarized under ‘All other sports’.

What is the Prohibited List?

The Prohibited List is a list of prohibited substances and methods, which is usually published on an annual basis.

Prohibited List

Why does a medication’s route of administration matter?

The prohibited status of a substance may be dependent upon the route by which it is administered (e.g. oral or intravenous).

What does the note about prohibited infusions mean?

Please visit the website of Swiss Sport Integrity for more information.

How do I interpret the search result of asthma medications?

Please visit the website of Swiss Sport Integrity for more information.

My search inquiry returns too many results. How can I narrow it down?

Try any of the following:

  • Refine the search by typing more letters in the search parameter. 
  • If a list of relevant search results is displayed, select the medication which precisely matches the name on your medication packaging.

I can’t find my question within this list.  What should I do?

Please contact Swiss Sport Integrity to obtain an answer to your question.