Testing
Testing is one of the most important tools in the fight against doping. The analysis of samples and the ensuing results obviously have the greatest deterring effect on athletes considering the use of prohibited substances. Testing can be conducted in-competition and out-of-competition. Urine is the preferred sample material; in the future, however, an increasing number of blood samples will be collected, as some prohibited substances can only be detected in blood.
Doping control process
View a video of the testing procedure
Athlete selection
The selection of athletes is based on the requirements of the responsible anti-doping organization. The selection may occur in three ways: random, based on established criteria (e.g. finished position), or targeted (target testing, intelligent testing).
NADA Austria has set up a Selection Commission to draw up the test distribution plan. On the basis of objective and transparent criteria, this Commission is required to define criteria for an effective and intelligent selection of athletes for testing and to adjust these criteria continuously to the most recent findings.
Engagement of the doping control team
The doping control officers (DCOs) are instructed by the responsible anti-doping organization to test the selected athlete/s within a certain period of time.
Either a national anti-doping organization, WADA or the competent international federation may give the instruction for testing.
Attached to this instruction is the athlete's whereabouts information, according to which the doping control officer can carry out his or her task. If testing cannot be carried out because the athlete cannot be located at the location at the time specified by the athlete, this is usually considered a "missed test" (cf. whereabouts filing requirements).
1. Notification
A DCO or chaperone will notify the athlete of his or her selection for doping control. The official identification and the authority under which the sample collection is to be conducted are shown to the athlete.
The DCO or chaperone will inform the athlete of his or her rights and responsibilities, including the right to have a representative present throughout the entire process, as well as about any changes in the doping control process.
The at
hlete will be asked to sign the form confirming that he/she has been notified for doping control. For a minor or an athlete with limited legal capacity, a third party may be notified as well and may be present throughout the process.
Failure to appear for testing or refusal to provide a sample may be sanctioned in the same way as a positive test.
2. Doping control station
Following notification, the athlete will be chaperoned constantly and should report to the doping control station as soon as possible and within the time period specified by the doping control team.
The DCO may allow the athlete to delay reporting to the doping control station for activities such as a press conference or the completion of a training session; however, the athlete will be accompanied by a DCO or a chaperone from the time of notification until the completion of the sample collection process.The athlete will be asked to provide photo identification and be given the opportunity to hydrate. Athletes are responsible for what they decide to drink.
Blood sample collection
The DCO shall ensure the athlete is offered comfortable conditions including being in a relaxed position for at least 10 minutes prior to providing a sample. The athlete should neither take in any food nor liquid prior to the provision of the blood sample.
3. Selection of a collection vessel
The athlete is given a choice of individually 
sealed collection vessels and selects one. The athlete verifies that the equipment is intact and has not been tampered with.
4. Provision of the sample
The provided sample should contain the athlete's first urine following notification, i.e. the athlete should not urinate (e.g. in the shower) before providing the sample.
Only the athlete and a doping control officer of the same gender are permitted in the washroom during the provision of the sample. Minors or athletes with limited legal capacity may also have their representative present in the washroom, if they wish so.
If possible, the DCO/chaperone shall ensure that the athlete washes his or her hands thoroughly before providing the sample, if necessary the athlete should be made wear gloves.
Athletes are required to remove any clothing from the knees to mid-chest and from hands to the elbows. This provides the doping control officer with a direct observation of the urine leaving the athlete's body.
This type of sample provision is to ensure that it is the athlete's own urine and help prevent possible manipulation of the urine sample. The athlete maintains control of the samples at all times during the process, unless assistance is required due to an athlete's disability.
The anti-doping organization which initiates testing owns the sample collected from the athlete as of the time of testing. Samples may be stored for a long period of time and be re-examined according to the most recent analytical methods, if the responsible anti-doping organization orders so.
Blood sample collection
The blood collection officer shall clean the skin with a sterile disinfectant wipe or swab in a location unlikely to adversely affect the athlete or his performance and, if required, apply a tourniquet. The blood collection officer shall take the blood sample from a superficial vein into a tube.
At least two tubes shall be filled, which are later to be named the "A" and "B" samples. The tourniquet, if applied, shall be immediately removed after the venipuncture has been made.
If the sample requires further on-site processing, such as centrifugation or separation of serum, the athlete shall remain to observe the sample until it is finally sealed by the athlete himself in a secure, tamper-evident kit.
5. Checking the sample volume
In order to verify and ensure that the volume of the urine sample meets the laboratory requirements and is sufficient for an analysis, a minimum volume of 90ml has been specified.
If the amount of urine does not meet the minimum requirements, the athlete will proceed with the partial sample process (items 5a and 5b).
Blood sample collection
The amount of blood removed shall be adequate to satisfy the relevant analytical requirements for the sample analysis to be performed. Depending on the type of analysis, different amounts of blood are required and, therefore, several sample tubes are collected.
5a. Sealing the partial sample
If an insufficient amount of urine was provided, the athlete will proceed with the partial sample process until the required amount of volume is provided.
During this process the partial sample will be sealed and secured using the partial sample equipment. The sealed partial sample should remain in the control of either the athlete or the DCO at all times; the athlete shall remain under continuous observation and be given the opportunity to hydrate.
5b. Combining the samples
When the required amount of urine has been provided, the athlete will select a new, sealed collection vessel and combine his/her samples, beginning with the first partial sample provided and each subsequent partial sample until the desired volume is reached. The sample is then split and sealed according to the steps outlined below.
6. Selection of the sample collection kit
If the athlete has provided the required volume, he/she will be given a choice of individually sealed sample collection kits, from which to choose one. The athlete verifies that the equipment is intact and has not been tampered with.
The athlete will open the kit and confirm that the sample code numbers on the bottles, the lids and the container all match.
7. Splitting the sample
The athlete splits the sample, pouring the urine him/herself, unless assistance is required due to an athlete's disability.
The athlete pours the required volume of urine into the "A" bottle (at least 60ml). The remaining urine is poured into the "B" bottle (at least 30ml). The athlete will be asked to leave a small amount of urine in the collection vessel so the DCO can measure the specific gravity and/or the pH-value of the sample according to the relevant laboratory guidelines.
Blood sample collection
One of the two blood sample vials is poured in the "A" bottle, the other one in the "B" bottle. If additional vials were filled, several sample collection kits may be used.
8. Sealing the samples
The athlete seals the "A" and "B" bottles. 
The athlete representative and the doping control officer should verify that the bottles are sealed properly.
9. Measuring specific gravity of a urine sample
The DCO measures the specific gravity using the residual urine left in the original collection vessel. The values are recorded on the doping control form.
If the sample does not meet the specific gravity requirements, the athlete may be asked to provide additional samples.
10. Completion of the doping control form
The athlete is asked to declare if he/she has recently taken any medication or nutritional supplements. These are recorded on the doping control form.
The athlete has the right to note comments and concerns on the form regarding the conduct of the doping control session. The athlete should verify that all the information recorded on the doping control form is correct, including the sample code numbers.
At the end of the sample collection process the athlete,
the doping control officer and possibly the person who witnessed the passing of the sample or the athlete representative will sign the doping control form.
The athlete is given a copy of the doping control form. The laboratory copy of the doping control form does not contain any information that could identify the athlete.
Analysis
The sealed samples are sent to one of the 35 WADA-accredited laboratories worldwide. The laboratory will inspect the samples upon their arrival to ensure there is no evidence of tampering. The laboratory copy of the doping control form does not contain any information that could identify the athlete who provided the sample to be analyzed.
The WADA-accredited laboratory will adhere to the International Standard for Laboratories when processing the sample, ensuring the chain of custody is maintained at all times.
The "A" sample will be analyzed for prohibited substances and prohibited methods. The "B" sample is securely stored at the laboratory and may be used to confirm an adverse analytical finding from the "A" sample.
The laboratory will report the results of the sample analysis to the responsible anti-doping organization. WADA and the competent international federation will simultaneously be notified in case of a suspicious sample analysis result. The responsible anti-doping organization that ordered the doping control continues to have exclusive knowledge of the sample identity.
Results management
If there is an adverse analytical finding on the sample, the responsible anti-doping organization will verify to whom this sample belongs and whether there was a therapeutic use exemption for the substance or method found or whether this finding could have been caused by another circumstance.
If this is not the case, the anti-doping rules have been violated and proceedings will be instituted. If NADA Austria is responsible for conducting the proceedings, they will be instituted before the Legal Commission of NADA Austria.
NADA Austria notifies the relevant federation and the athlete concerned of the adverse analytical findings and/or the institution of proceedings. Uninvolved third parties will not be informed until the proceedings have been completed.
Within one week after having been notified about an adverse analytical finding in the "A" sample, the athlete has the right to request the analysis of the "B" sample. If no such request is made, the analytical result of the "A" sample is deemed confirmed.
A detailed description of a hearing before the Legal Commission or the Independent Arbitration Commission is available here.
Statutory provisions
A number of §§ of the Anti-Doping Federal Act as amended by Federal Law Gazette I no. 146/2009 refer to Testing. §11 lays down the following:
§ 11. (1) Testing can be conducted by the Independent Anti-Doping Organization, international sports federations, the IOC or WADA. The Independent Anti-Doping Organization shall be in charge of:
- testing athletes and athlete support personnel (§ 1a no. 1);
- testing requested from it by WADA, an international sports federation, a foreign national sports federation or a foreign national anti-doping organization.
(2) Testing by the Independent Anti-Doping Organization shall be conducted by a testing team consisting of two persons, one of whom shall have the training required to collect samples. Blood samples shall be collected by a physician. One person of the testing team shall be of the same sex as the athlete to be tested.
(3) Prior to testing, the testing team shall identify itself vis-à-vis the athlete by means of a photo ID, submit the order for testing issued for the name (designation of the animal) and hand over a copy of the order, the receipt of which shall be confirmed. In the case of minors or athletes with an intellectual disability the identification and submission of the order shall also be effected vis-à-vis their chaperone (legal representative, coach, official of the association to which the athlete belongs).
(4) Other than in justified exceptional cases, testing must not be started later than 11 p.m. and earlier than 6 a.m. The human dignity of the athletes shall be respected during testing.
(5) Testing, in particular the collection of urine and blood samples (A sample and B sample), shall be conducted in accordance with the International Standard for Testing in sports, unless this Federal Act stipulates otherwise.
(6) Testing which was not conducted pursuant to paras 2 to 5, § 9 para 2, § 10, 12 and 13, shall not be valid if the departure led to an adverse analytical finding or caused another anti-doping rule violation. If the athlete concerned established that departures from the provisions occurred during testing and the departure may reasonably have caused an adverse analytical finding or another anti-doping rule violation, the Independent Anti-Doping Organization shall have the burden to establish that the departure did not cause the adverse analytical finding or the factual basis for an anti-doping rule violation.
(7) If in the course of testing the suspicion of an anti-doping rule violation arises, the testing team shall immediately notify the Independent Anti-Doping Organization of the facts including the evidence, which shall immediately notify the national sports federation and forward the documentation. If during testing the illegal possession of prohibited substances or technical equipment for the use of prohibited methods (§ 1 para 2 no. 5 in conjunction with para 3) is found, the athletes or athlete support personnel concerned shall hand them over to the testing team against receipt and the Independent Anti-Doping Organization shall hold them in custody in order to preserve evidence, and the athletes or athlete support personnel concerned shall agree to the transfer of ownership to the Independent Anti-Doping Organization if disciplinary measures are imposed; otherwise it would constitute a violation on grounds of non-cooperation at testing.
(8) The right of foreign sports organizations and foreign NADOs to conduct testing of athletes of their home countries in Austria pursuant to the UNESCO Convention shall remain unaffected. This shall also apply if, based on the agreement on carrying out an international competition in Austria, other organizations than those specified in para 1 are scheduled to conduct doping control.