WHAT ATHLETE LEVEL AM I?

An athlete’s level i.e. whether he/she is a “National Level” or “International Level” Athlete is important in determining when they need to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).

Athletes who meet the NADC criteria for National Level Athletes (or the International Level Athlete criteria set by their sport's International Federation) need to apply for a TUE before they take a medication which is prohibited in sport (unless it is a medical emergency). You can check the status of your medication from the current WADA Prohibited List on the WADA website at www.wada-ama.org or at the following link: http://www.drugfreesport.org.za/online-medication-check/. If you are elevated to the status of a National Level Athlete, you need to check the status of your medication immediately as this means that you need to apply for a TUE if you are using a prohibited medication and/or a prohibited method.

It is important for athletes to understand whether they are classified as a National, International Level Athlete or Other Athlete.

 

¨      National Level Athlete

NADC determines the criteria for a National Level Athlete (in accordance with the World Anti-Doping Code and the Nigeria Anti-Doping Rules). You qualify as a National Level Athlete if you meet any of the following criteria:

1.       You are included in the NADC Registered Testing Pool (RTP). NADC will inform you if you are included in the RTP as you will be invited to an education session to inform you of your obligations and responsibilities. If you are unsure of your status and would like to know whether you are an RTP athlete, please contact the NADC office via any of its contact details. 

2.       You are selected in the Nigerian Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth or Continental Games team.

3.       You are included for the camping programme for the Nigerian Olympic, Paralympic, Commonwealth or Regional Games teams.

4.       You compete in the competitions and/or are selected to represent the national team as specified in the sport below, which are sports recording the highest number of cumulative tests over the past 3 years:

 

Sport	Competition	Other Criteria
Athletics	Athletes who compete at the senior national track and field, race walking, cross country and road running championships and who are entered in the elite category of marathons on the Athletics Federation of Nigeria events calendar.	Athletes selected to represent the national team at a continental or world championships
Boxing	Athletes in various categories who compete at national men’s and women’s Amateur Boxing Championships	Athletes (NBF) selected to represent the men and women national team at an Amateur Boxing (AIBA) continental or world championships
Powerlifting	Athletes of all weight categories and discipline who compete in national championships	Athletes selected to represent the national men’s and women’s team at a continental or world championships
Paralympic Sport	Not Applicable	Athletes selected to represent Nigeria at the World Championships in track and field, and table tennis
Weightlifting	Athletes of all weight categories who compete in national championships	Athletes selected to represent the national men’s and women’s team at a continental or world championships
Wrestling	Athletes in all weight categories who compete in national championships	Athletes selected to represent the national men’s and women’s team at a continental or world championships

 

5.       Athlete’s competing internationally representing Nigeria either as individuals or as part of a team; but if any such Athletes are classified by their respective International Federations as International Level Athletes, then they shall be considered International Level Athletes (and not National-Level Athletes).

 

Please note the following:

·         If you are competing in an event that qualifies you as a National Level Athlete, you should have a TUE in place seven (7) days prior to the event start date and it should last at least for the duration of the event. 

·         If you are selected in a national team as stipulated under the criteria section of the specific code in the above table, and you need to take a prohibited medication or use a prohibited method, then you should apply for a TUE as soon as you are selected. If you lose your place in the team due to injury or performance, you still qualify as a National Level Athlete for this period i.e. for the calendar year in which you were part of the team and you must have a TUE in place as you could still be tested during this time. 

¨      International Level Athlete

·         The criteria for an International Level Athlete is determined by a sport’s International Federation (IF).

·         One of the criteria is your inclusion in your International Federation’s RTP. Your IF will inform you of your inclusion in their RTP.

·         If you are competing internationally, you should check with your IF whether you have to apply for a TUE from your IF rather than NADC. International Level Athletes should have a TUE from their IF in place.

 

¨      Other Athletes

All other athletes qualify for a retroactive TUE, which means you only need to apply if you are tested and you return an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF).  However, you still need to ensure that you meet the criteria and be able to provide the medical evidence required by the NADC TUE Committee before you start using the medication.

 

If you are unsure what level athlete you are or have other questions please contact NADC: +234 903 385 8210 or nadcngr@yahoo.com