FIH delegates its global anti-doping program to the ITA

The FIH has decided to have its entire anti-doping program run independently by the ITA. A four-year contract between the two organisations marks the start of cooperation. In a transitional phase until the end of 2020, the ITA will initially manage FIH’s out-of-competition testing activities, and from the beginning of 2021 the full anti-doping program. This includes in- and out-of-competition testing, athlete blood passport administration, therapeutic use exemption management, risk assessment, test distribution planning, whereabouts and compliance management. The FIH will maintain the results management within its structures.

Based on the shared conviction of the two organisations that knowledge and prevention are crucial factors in deterring athletes from using prohibited substances – deliberately or inadvertently – an emphasis will be put by the ITA on rolling out a strong education program for the FIH.

“The ITA is excited to welcome another team sport to the ranks of its partners”, says Benjamin Cohen, Director General of the ITA. “Hockey is a true global sport with both strong female and male teams, and a sport with a long Olympic tradition. The delegation of its global anti-doping program shows the federation’s commitment to fair play and means that the FIH will profit from the ITA’s knowledge and expertise. We will tailor our anti-doping program to the specificities of hockey, but the FIH will also be able to access solutions and intelligence from the other sports the ITA partners with.”

FIH CEO Thierry Weil: “We are very pleased to announce this partnership with the ITA, which is part of our continuing efforts to maintain a world-class anti-doping programme for hockey around the world. Using this independent agency of anti-doping experts will ensure we continue to be at the forefront of efforts to educate our athletes and maintain the integrity of our competitions.”

About the International Hockey Federation (FIH)
The International Hockey Federation (FIH) is the world governing body for the sport of hockey, recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Founded in 1924, FIH today has 137 member National Associations. For more information on the Hockey Revolution, please visit: fih.ch/inside-fih/our-strategy