Roles and Responsibilities of Athlete Support personnel and other persons
It is important for everyone to protect clean sport. We want to know that deaf sport is real and that it is conducted with integrity. Doping undermines the spirit of sport and the efforts of clean athletes. The WADA Code states that athlete support personnel are responsible for positively influencing the athletes they work with.
Coaches play a crucial role in the development of athletes as sportspersons. Athletes' decision to train and compete clean may bectly affected by the way of training, as well as coaching philosophy. Coaches are responsible for modelling ethical behaviour, teaching athletes how to excel in their sports, and helping athletes realise their full potential.
Clean sport means coaches must also be sensitive to what their athletes are experiencing in their sport and be aware of when they may be vulnerable, so as to adjust training schedules or encourage effective rest strategies. WADA has mandated coaches to counsel and advise athletes in anti-doping matters as well as support in anti-doping experiences.
Sport managers, trainers, nutritionists, dieticians, sport physicians or therapists, as well as all other Athlete Support Personnel should be looking out for their athletes’ health & well being above all else.
Sports physicians and therapists also play their part by knowing when an athlete needs to rest and recover, and being honest and transparent about when they can return to play. It means nutrition experts giving sound advice to athletes about a “food first” approach to improve performance through adjustments to diet. It also means helping them understand what substances are banned in sport and sharing the risks of supplement use.
Sports managers, trainers, nutritionists, dieticians, sport physicians or therapists, and all other Athlete Support Personnel should put athlete health first. It is also the responsibility of sports physicians and therapists to recognise when athletes need to rest and recover, and to be honest and transparent about when they can return to play. Sports nutrition experts can advise athletes about the effects of dietary adjustments on performance and explain the risks associated with supplement consumption.
The ICSD Anti-Doping Rules must be followed by coaches, athlete support personnel, and sports administrators. In the event that one does not abide by the values of clean sport or the ICSD Anti-Doping Rules, there could be severe consequences for future involvement in sport and a career.
Athlete Support Personnel's Responsibilities:
- Be knowledgeable of and comply with all anti-doping policies & rules applicable to you or the athletes you support
- Use your influence on athlete values and behaviour to promote positive anti-doping attitudes
- Cooperate with athlete testing programs
- Disclose to ICSD whether you have committed an Anti-Doping Rule Violation in the previous 10 years
- Cooperate with ICSD and your NADO investigating Anti-Doping Rule Violations
- Do not use or possess any prohibited substance or prohibited method without a valid and justifiable reason
What does this mean for a Coach or an Athlete Support Personnel?
Anti-doping is a complex topic that requires the attention of all who are subject to Anti-Doping Regulations. The Anti-Doping Rule Violations that apply to Athlete Support Personnel account for 7 out of 11, so it is important to take the anti-doping responsibilities very seriously and to assist those around (other coaches, practitioners, athletes, and sport administrators) in doing the same.
What can you do as an Athlete Support Personnel to make Clean Sport a success?
Establish a supportive and coaching environment in which a culture of excellence is nurtured rather than a culture of winning at all costs. Promote positive values and beliefs among all athletes and any other personnel you work with. Educate yourself on anti-doping matters through your NADO, National Governing Body, or Professional Association.
If you are a high performance coach, a medical professional, or a medical professional at major games, take one of the online WADA ADEL courses that are relevant to you, such as ADEL for Medical Professionals. Encourage regular engagement in clean sport and encourage athletes to apply the principle of strict liability within your sporting environment.
Have conversations within your sporting environment on anti-doping. Encourage regular engagement in clean sport. Discuss anti-doping with your athletes. Help athletes apply the principle of Strict Liability. Help athletes avoid inadvertent doping by checking their medications against the Prohibited List or online drug reference list, and explaining the risks of supplement usage.
Understand the universal rights available to athletes within the anti-doping arena as laid out by the Athlete's Anti-Doping Rights Act. You should be familiar with the anti-doping section of the ICSD website, as well as your country's Anti-Doping Organisation's website. Obtain the information you need to provide the best support for your athletes.
Further details of these roles and responsibilities can be found in Code Art. 21.2 and 21.3