TUEs

What is a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)?

Athletes may have illnesses or conditions that require them to take medications or undergo procedures. If the medication or method an athlete is required to use to treat an illness or condition is prohibited as per the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) Prohibited List a TUE may give that athlete the authorization to use that substance or method while competing as well as out-of-competition without invoking an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) and applicable sanction. Applications for TUEs are evaluated by a panel of physicians, the TUE Committee (TUEC).

What are the Criteria for Granting a TUE?

All of the four following criteria must be met (for more details, please refer to the WADA International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE) Article 4.2):

  • The athlete has a clear diagnosed medical condition which requires treatment using a prohibited substance or method;
  • The therapeutic use of the substance will not, on the balance of probabilities produce significant enhancement of performance beyond the athlete’s normal state of health;
  • The prohibited substance or method is an indicated treatment for the medical condition, and there is no reasonable permitted therapeutic alternative;
  • The necessity to use that substance or method is not a consequence of the prior use (without a TUE), of a substance or method which was prohibited at the time of use.

How to apply for a TUE?

Athletes who are subject to anti-doping rules would need a TUE before taking a prohibited substance or using a prohibited method. To avoid any mistakes, please follow these steps:

1. Check your Medication/Treatment

It is each athlete´s responsibility to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his/her body and that no prohibited method is used. To avoid doping by mistake, always check every single medication/treatment before you use it:

  • Contact and inform your physician that you are an athlete bound by anti-doping rules and refer to the WADA’s Prohibited List, or
  • Contact FIB or your National Anti-Doping Organization (NADO), consult their website, or
  • Check your medication yourself against the Prohibited List. (However, since this is quite complicated without pharmacological knowledge, you are strongly advised to seek professional assistance).

If your medication/treatment turns out to include a prohibited substance or method, ask your physician if there are any non-prohibited alternatives. If not, go to the next step.

2. Verify your responsibilities under the rules

  • If you ARE included in one of FIB’s Testing Pools, you should apply to FIB as soon as possible using this TUE-form.
  • If you ARE NOT included in FIB’s Testing Pools, you should contact your NADO or consult their website to sort out if you are bound by their rules and – if so – how and when to apply.

3. Further information