FIS FACT SHEET: FIS Anti-Doping Program enters the Olympic year

Oberhofen 25th November 2009/--This FIS Fact Sheet is intended to provide an update on FIS Anti-Doping Activities during the 2009/10 Olympic season. The fight against doping remains an important focus for FIS, through a zero-tolerance policy on doping and cheating in sport.

"The Olympic season will see FIS continuing its fight against the use of doping. We will do this with all our means and across all disciplines. The recent cases are a good example that our programs and procedures are effective," commented FIS President Gian Franco Kasper.

1. Out-of-Competition Testing Program

As during the previous season and mandated by the World Anti-Doping Code, no notice, out-of-competition target tests remain the primary focus of testing within the FIS Anti-Doping program 2009/10. In addition to regular EPO urine tests, CERA blood testing has been included.

The International Testing Pool of FIS currently consists of 486 athletes in the six FIS disciplines.

From 1st May to 25th November 2009, FIS has conducted the following number of out-of-competition tests:

Alpine: 23 Urine Tests and 1 blood test
Cross-Country: 136 Urine tests (all including EPO analysis), 228 blood tests and 55 blood tests for CERA analysis
Nordic Combined: 14 Urine tests (all including EPO analysis) 17 blood tests and 4 blood tests for CERA analysis
Snowboard: 2 Urine Tests

In addition, during the same time period, WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) has conducted the following number of out-of-competition tests:

Alpine: 9 Urine tests (of which 2 including EPO analysis)
Cross-Country: 33 Urine tests (of which 25 including EPO analysis) and 8 blood tests (of which 1 including blood transfusion analysis and 5 hGH)
Nordic Combined: 6 Urine tests (all including EPO analysis)
Freestyle: 3 Urine tests
Ski Jumping: 3 Urine tests
Snowboard: 2 Urine test

These numbers do not include the out-of-competition tests conducted by the National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) under their responsibility.

To view a statistical summary of tests conducted during the 2008/2009 season, please refer to http://www.fis-ski.com/data/document/statistics-08-09.pdf

2. In-Competition Testing Program

FIS also conducts in-competition testing at selected FIS World Cup events. Additionally, in-competition testing is coordinated with many National Anti-Doping Organisations (NADOs) and in-competition testing is carried out by NADOS at a number of FIS World Cup events. So far, FIS in-competition testing took place at the following FIS World Cup events this season:

Alpine: Sölden (AUT), 12 Urine tests
Nordic Combined: Hinterzarten (GER), 6 Urine tests (all including EPO analysis)
Ski Jumping: Hinterzarten (GER), 6 Urine tests
Snowboard: Landgraaf (NED), 14 Urine tests; Stockholm (SWE), 6 Urine tests

3. Longitudinal Haematological Profiling / FIS Blood Profiling Program

FIS has been monitoring the development of various biological parameters among its athletes within the International Testing Pool since the establishment of the FIS Blood Profiling Program from the 2001/2002 season.

The FIS Blood Profiling Program serves to help detect blood doping as provided for in Article 5.3.1 of the FIS Anti-Doping Rules. Athletes with aberrant variations in key hematologic values are excluded from competition according to the criteria under article FIS.B.5 of the rules. In addition to the five day start prohibition for elevated haemoglobin concentrations of equal to or exceeding 17.0 for men and 16.0 for ladies, a 14 day start prohibition was introduced in the rules during the 2008/09 season for an athlete showing an abnormal haemoglobin z-score, off-score model or Bayesian model.

In practice, FIS already has the so-called Athlete Passport program in place. The fundamental principle of such a program is based on monitoring an athlete's biological parameters to detect abnormal variations that indirectly reveal the effects of doping, as opposed to the traditional, direct detection of doping.

When the regulations for the WADA Athlete Blood Passport are introduced, these will be integrated into the FIS Blood Profiling Program which will only entail minor changes to the current practice.

4. Recent decisions on doping cases

The FIS Doping Panel has recently rendered its decision on two cases. The Panel found that Russian Cross-Country skiers Nina Rysina (RUS) and Evgeni Dementiev (RUS) have committed an anti-doping rule violation contrary to article 2.1 of the FIS Anti-Doping Rules.

Nina Rysina tested positive for the use of the prohibited substance recombinant EPO, identified on the WADA Prohibited List 2009 in Class S2 Hormone and Related Substances, during an out-of-competition doping control on 27th January 2009 in Praz de Lys Sommand (FRA).

Evgeni Dementiev tested positive for the use of the prohibited substance recombinant EPO, identified on the WADA Prohibited List 2009 in Class S2 Hormone and Related Substances, during an out-of-competition doping control on 2nd January 2009 in Val di Fiemme (ITA). The Russian Ski Federation gave official notice of retirement on behalf of the athlete on 2nd September 2009.

In both cases, the period of ineligibility commences as from the date of the hearing decision, 13th November 2009, with credit given from 12th August 2009 until 13th November 2009 pursuant to article 10.9.3, for the period of the provisional suspension. Consequently, the athletes are ineligible to participate in any capacity in an event or activity authorized or organized by FIS or any National Ski Association until 12th August 2011. In accordance with article 10.8, all competitive results obtained from the date that the positive samples were obtained are disqualified, along with the forfeiture of any medals, points and prizes.

This means that Nina Rysina, who won the gold medal in the U-23 FIS World Cross-Country Championship race on 1st February 2009 in Praz de Lys Sommand (FRA), has been asked to return her medal.

The FIS Doping Panel decisions may be appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) within 21 days before the above decisions will come into force.

Note: Status during Ineligibility

Ineligibility, defined in article 10.10 of the FIS Anti-Doping Rules, means that in addition to ineligibility from competitions, an athlete cannot participate in a training camp, exhibition or practice organised by his or her National Ski Association or a club which is a member of that National Ski Association. If an athlete violates this ineligibility status, the period of ineligibility which was originally imposed shall start over again as of the date of the violation.

In this respect, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), based on an appeal of the athlete and the Czech Ski Association, recently confirmed a decision rendered by the FIS Doping Panel in the Case Ondrej Horyna (CZE), prolonging the period of ineligibility from 1st April 2009 to 1st April 2010 because of taking part in a team training, as well as sanctioning the National Ski Association of the Czech Republic for not taking effective measures.

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The overall investment by FIS in its Anti-Doping program during the 2009/2010 season amounts to approximately CHF 1.5 million. This includes both the in- and out-of-competition testing programs and various preventive, informational and educational efforts.

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Additional references
Liberec 2009 Anti Doping Update: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/news/pressreleases/press-releases-2009/liberec-program.html  
FIS Anti-Doping Update December 2008: http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/news/pressreleases/archive-2008/fis-fact-sheet-anti-dopi.html  

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About FIS
Founded in 1924 during the first Olympic Games in Chamonix, France, the International Ski Federation (FIS) aims to promote the sport of skiing and snowboarding and directs the development of all ski and snowboarding activities world-wide. It administers the Olympic disciplines of Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding, including setting the international competition rules. With the help of its 110 member nations (one currently suspended), FIS stages more than 6'000 ski and snowboard competitions annually. FIS also makes recommendations for recreational skiing and snowboarding in the interest of all and promotes play in the snow as a healthy leisure activity for children and the youth. For more information, please visit www.fis-ski.com.

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