Breaking It Down: USADA, WADA, & Anti-Doping

The moment you purchase your USA Cycling license, you are subject to random testing at any point in competition. It doesn’t matter if it’s a local race, the world championships, or if you’re simply participating, or standing on the podium. You can and will be tested for random selection. Are you prepared?

When it come to being testing, the more you know, the more prepared you are.
– Do you know what the Sample Collection Process entails? How it is to be done properly?
– What to do if you believe something has become tainted?What does “tainted” mean?
– Do you need a TUE? What is a TUE? How do you apply?
– What does “prohibited” mean? How about “Prohibited in-competition”? How about “conditional”?
– Have you checked every medication, supplement, protein powder, drink mix on the Global DRO? What is the Global DRO?
– What is the “life span” of your supplement or medication?
Do you know the answers to all those questions?

ANYTHING and EVERYTHING you consume is subject to being tainted or contaminated. Knowing where your food comes from, what you are consuming, and checking that each and every supplement, medication, lotion, etc you are using/consuming has been cleared with Global DRO. Using the search on Global DRO, you can find if your supplement is prohibited, conditional, or not prohibited.

If your supplement or medication is conditional, you may need a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE). This means you should discontinue taking your supplement or medication until you have been given a TUE after submitting one. If you are tested and found to be positive of that supplement or medication without having a TUE, you will be given a doping offense, and serve the necessary suspension, loss of results, etc, etc. You can find info regarding TUEs in a button below. If you are unsure you need a TUE, please do your research. Knowledge is power.

If your supplement is prohibited, that means you are not allowed to consume at any time. Some medications or supplements may be prohibited “in-competition”, which means you can not take them during the time of your competition, or the drug may not be in your system. For that reason, it is important to know the “life span” or your supplement or medication, and make sure it is out of your system by the time you begin your competition. The life span of your medication differs on your body weight and composition, and the potency of your supplement or medication. It’s important to do your research with a physical or research through the necessary tools to make sure you know what you are taking, how much, and how it affects your body.

The best habit to get in, is to check your supplement or medication on the Global DRO, WADA, and USADA sites prior to your consumption. Check the accurate dosage and ingredients, as that can affect whether the supplement or medication is allowed to be consumed.

If you need a TUE, do not consume until you have a written TUE approved in your hand. That TUE needs to be taken with you to each competition, and provided to your USADA representative at the time of testing. Your TUE must always be current and up to date, and you need to make sure you reapply when necessary.

Knowledge is power. When all the resources are laid out for us, there is no reason to be uninformed. Educate yourself prior to your competitions, and be prepared for the testing process, what is expected of you, and what you need to report. Take the necessary time to review this information. It is crucial to your eligibility, future, and time in any sport. Compete Clean.

It is our duty to ensure our sport remains clean, and with Big Picture Cycling’s Zero Tolerance Policy, we are proud to know our athletes are doing their part to keep the sport clean.

If you have questions, please contact USADA, WADA, or your Big Picture Cycling Coach. All BPC coaches have experienced the USADA testing pool, random testing (blood and/or urine), and are familiar with the USADA and WADA codes. And when in doubt, apply for a TUE, contact your doctor, or ask.