What We Do
The use of doping substances or doping methods to enhance performance is fundamentally wrong and is detrimental to the overall spirit of sport. Drug misuse can be harmful to an athlete’s health and to other athletes competing in sport. It severely damages the integrity, image and value of sport, whether or not the motivation to use drugs is to improve performance. To achieve integrity and fairness in sport, a commitment to clean sport is critical.The International Ice Hockey Federation (“IIHF”) is signatory to the World Anti-Doping Agency (“WADA”) Code (“WADC”). WADA is the governing body in the fight for a doping-free sporting environment.
Doping is not hOcKey and the IIHF fights with other stakeholders for clean sport.
Our Mission
- Preserve the concept of fair play
- Protect Clean Athletes
- Effective and efficient testing
- High standards based on intelligent testing
- Educate and inform, with cooperation of NADOs and MNAs
- Encourage athletes, coaches and doctors to say no to doping
WADA, NADOs and IIHF
WADA was established in 1999 as an international independent agency composed and funded equally by the sport movement and governments of the world. Its key activities include scientific research, education, development of anti-doping capacities, and monitoring of the WADC – the document harmonizing anti-doping policies in all sports and all countries.
The International Ice Hockey Federation is a signatory to the WADC and follows the WADC's mandate in all areas of its Anti-Doping work. Our Member National Associations (MNAs), as our member, automatically follow the WADC as well.
The IIHF has different programs in regard to Anti-Doping and continually strives to ensure that its education and testing programs remain at the cutting edge of science and recognized good practice in all areas of prevention and detection.
Activities include in- and out-of-competition testing, providing education programs and sanctioning those who commit anti-doping rule violations to protect the clean athletes.
The IIHF works closely with the National Anti-Doping Organizations (NADOs). NADOs are organizations designated by each country as possessing the primary authority and responsibility to adopt and implement national anti-doping rules, carry out anti-doping education, plan tests and adjudicate anti-doping rule violations at a national level. They may also test athletes from other countries competing within that nations border.
The IIHF and the NADOs coordinate their anti-doping programs and education plans, testing activities and exchange information and intelligence.
Links:
WADA
NADOs
World Anti-Doping Code
The WADC is the core document that harmonizes anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organizations and among public authorities around the world. It works in conjunction with five International Standards which aim to foster consistency among anti-doping organizations in various areas: testing; laboratories; Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs); the List of Prohibited Substances and Methods; and the protection of privacy and personal information. The 2015 Code is the revised edition of the 2009 Code.
The International Standards
Testing & Intelligence
The aim of testing is to detect and deter doping among athletes to protect clean athletes.
Any player who is a member of an IIHF Member National Association may be required to undergo doping control at any time. The IIHF has implemented an Out-of-Competition (at a team training session, or at players’ homes) and In-Competition (after a game) Testing Program.
Doping controls may include samples of blood and urine, as well as screening for substances such as EPO and human growth hormone. No advance information is given as to when controls will take place. Over time, collected samples will build the biological passport which monitor players’ biomarkers. Variations in either the steroid profile may be indications of doping, as well as providing intelligence for target testing.
Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF), Atypical Findings (ATF) and Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRV)
The term Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) refers to a report from a WADA approved laboratory that indicates the presence of a Prohibited Substance or its metabolites or markers (including elevated quantities of endogenous substances) or evidence of the use of a Prohibited Method.
The term AAF does not necessarily imply a positive test as the athlete may have a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption), or may have elevated endogenous substances which are normal for his own system and do not necessarily reflect a positive doping infraction.
It is important to note that the percentage of AAFs does not identify the potential risk of doping in a sport, but rather reflects adverse findings which need further investigation. These investigations may include a justification of the use of a Prohibited Substance (TUE or the identification of an endogenous substance which need further testing (i.e. IRMS) or repeat testing on a monthly basis.
An AAF becomes a positive doping infraction only after a thorough investigation following due process, such as a hearing and a determination from the IIHF Disciplinary Board that a doping infraction has occurred.
Please take note that the WADA releases early statistics on the number of AAF's in each sport on its website, and lists the percentage of tests which have shown or identified an AAF. This percentage therefore is not an accurate indication of true positive tests, but only of AAF's.
In-Competition
In-Competition Testing in ice hockey is testing that is conducted in connection with an International Ice Hockey Federation World Championship Tournament. The period of In-Competition as defined by the IIHF is 48 hours before the first face-off of the event and ends 48 hours after the end of the last game of the competition.
IIHF Testing Statistics
Season Tests AAFs ADRVs
2003/2004 242 2 0
2004/2005 322 2 2
2005/2006 234 4 3
2006/2007 226 2 1
2007/2008 274 8 4
2008/2009 320 8 3
2009/2010 276* 3 0
* excluding the tests done in the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
As of 2011, the IIHF changed the format of reporting anti-doping statistics so that atypical findings are also indicated and calendar years are used.
Season Tests AAFs ATFs ADRVs
2011 371 1 9 1
2012 287 0 3 0
2013 270 3 4 2
2014 240 4 0 2
2015 287 3 9 0
2016 322 1 0 0
2017 305 2 0 1
The IIHF served as Testing Authority for the last three seasons as Results Management for KHL tests.
Season Tests AAFs ATFs ADRVs
2016 249 7 0 0
2017 331 7 0 6
Long-term Storage
Doping is constantly developing. Therefore the Anti-Doping Organizations are required to do the same. As such, the IIHF regularly reviews its Anti-Doping Strategy and Programs. An additional tool is the possibility to store all samples collected when the IIHF acted as the Testing Authority. The long-term storage allows a re-analysis at any time, in particular when required due to specific intelligence, or when new analytical techniques become available. This long-term sample storage allows anti-doping rule violations to be prosecuted up to ten years after they have been committed, and as such, provides a significant deterrent effect.
IIHF Results Management and Disciplinary Board Procedure
In case an AAF is reported to the IIHF, the athlete in question, via his Member National Association, will receive a first Notification from the IIHF with respect to this AAF. This notice sets out the details regarding the AAF and indicates the next steps to be taken by the athlete.
Following this first Notification, the athlete has to indicate to the IIHF, whether he/she wants his/her B sample to be tested and, if applicable, whether the athlete wants a provisional hearing. In addition, the athlete will be invited to submit any comments, documents and/or evidence to the IIHF with respect to the AAF.
Then, as soon as the athlete indicates to the IIHF whether he/she wants his/her B Sample to be tested, the athlete will receive a Second Notification. In this second Notification, the IIHF will propose a sanction to the athlete. With respect to this sanction, the athlete shall have the right to admit to the AAF, waive his/her right to a disciplinary proceeding, including a Formal Hearing, in front of the IIHF Disciplinary Board and accept the proposed suspension, or request that his/her case will be submitted to the IIHF Disciplinary Board for adjudication in accordance with the IIHF Disciplinary Code.
In case the athlete chooses to admit to the AAF, waive his/her right to a disciplinary proceeding, including a Formal Hearing before the IIHF Disciplinary Board and to accept the sanction proposed by the IIHF, that sanction will immediately be imposed on the athlete.
In the event that the athlete opts to have his/her case submitted to the IIHF Disciplinary Board, the athlete will receive a Letter from the IIHF Disciplinary Board. This Letter invites the athlete to submit his/her written comments with respect to the AAF to the IIHF within 21 days. The athlete must also indicate to the IIHF whether he/she wants a hearing before the IIHF Disciplinary Board or if he/she prefers a written procedure.
The hearing before the IIHF Disciplinary Board is always held in the IIHF premises in Zurich and can be attended in person or via video conference call.
Lastly, after going through all of the abovementioned procedural steps, the IIHF Disciplinary Board will issue a reasoned decision.
Speak Up !
Whistleblowers
WADA has launched the “Speak-up” Program which is a secured whistleblower platform for everybody who would like to report detected, identified, witnessed, know of or has reasonable grounds for suspecting doping misconduct. The Speak-up team is experienced in intelligence and investigations and treats all information that is shared with utmost confidentiality.
If you like to report doping misconduct, please visit the Speak-up! Webpage or get in contact with the IIHF.