There are situations in which athletes need to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method, as specified by the Prohibited List, for health reasons.
The anti-doping rules stipulate a specific process for athletes to ask for, and be authorized to follow the prescribed treatment. These are therapeutic use exemptions, or TUE for short.
Please read the information below carefully in order to assess whether you need a TUE, how you can submit it and what you need to know with regards to the European Youth Olympic Festival.
Important note: Due to changes in the Prohibited Substances list, ALL injectable glucocorticoid routes are prohibited, in-competition, starting 1 January 2022.
All systemic routes continue to be forbidden (for example oral or rectal) in competition. Please refer to page 3 of this document for further details (Summary of modifications to the 2022 Prohibited List)
In line with the rules, no TUEs will be delivered for glucocorticoid administration outside the competition period, which starts at midnight before the competition.
Very importantly, keep all your medical documentation related to your treatment, including the electronic medical records, in case a retroactive TUE is necessary, in line with article 4.1e of the International Standard for TUEs.
You can contact us to submit a TUE starting 2 January up to 20 February 2022.
1 – Fill in the TUE form, sign it and have it signed by your physician.
2 – Gather all the necessary supporting medical documentation (Resources List | World Anti-Doping Agency (wada-ama.org))
3: send the signed form and the medical information by email to:
For any other situations, please contact us by phone so that we can assess the situation and help you submit your application.
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 authorisation to use that substance or method while competing without invoking an anti-doping rule violation (ADRV) and applicable sanction. Applications for TUEs are evaluated by a panel of physicians, the TUE Committee (ITUEC).
NADO TUEs are only valid for national-level Competition and Out-of-Competition Testing.
Athletes participating in the European Youth Olympic Festival are subject to anti-doping rules and would need a TUE to take a prohibited substance or use a prohibited method. You can also verify with us if you can apply retroactively. Please see chapter below on “HOW TO APPLY TO THE TUEC FOR A TUE?”
Before the EYOF
You should follow the usual process defined by your IF and NADO, and submit new requests to your IF or NADO. Pre-existing TUEs will follow the recognition process provided they are entered in ADAMS.
During the EYOF
Send the signed form and the medical information by email to:
First, check if the required medication or method you intend to take or use is prohibited as per the WADA Prohibited List.
For this, you may also use a ‘check your medication’ online like Global Drug Reference Online or consult your National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO).
You have a responsibility to inform your physician(s) that you are an athlete bound to anti-doping rules. You and your physician(s) should check the Prohibited List for whatever substance/method you are prescribed. If the substance/method is prohibited, discuss non-prohibited alternatives, if there are none, apply for a TUE. Remember athletes have the ultimate responsibility.
If you already have a TUE granted by your National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) or International Federation (IF), your TUE will be automatically recognized for the Period of the EYOF.
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):
You may only apply retroactively for a TUE:
Important note:
Using a prohibited substance or method without a TUE could result in an Anti-Doping Rule Violation.
In case an application for a retroactive TUE is necessary following sample collection, you are strongly advised to have a medical file prepared and ready to submit for evaluation.
All NADO and IF TUEs are automatically recognized and valid for the EYOF period.
The TUEC must render a decision as soon as possible, and usually within 21 days from the date of receipt of the complete TUE application, unless in exceptional circumstances. Nevertheless, during the EYOF, treatment times are in average much shorter and all efforts will be made to provide a decision before a competition takes place.
A decision by EOC not to recognize or not to grant a TUE may be appealed by the Athlete exclusively to the independent TUE Appeal Committee established by EOC for that purpose.
All the information contained in a TUE application, including the supporting medical information and any other information related to the evaluation of your TUE request is kept strictly confidential and treated in accordance with the Athlete’s Declaration contained in the ADAMS TUE and in the TUE Application Form which can be found below. All members of the ITA’s TUEC and any other authorised recipients of your TUE request and related information (as described in the Athlete’s Declaration) are subject to a professional or contractual confidentiality obligation.
Please review the terms of the Athlete’s Declaration carefully. In particular, note that should you wish to revoke the right of the ITA’s TUEC to obtain the information related to your TUE in accordance with the Athlete’s Declaration, your TUE application will be deemed withdrawn without approval [or recognition] being granted.
Your TUE request-related information will be retained by the TUEC and any other authorised recipients for no longer than necessary for the purposes stated in the Athlete’s Declaration, in accordance with the International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information.
You can download the TUE form here (pdf format).
WADA International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE)
WADA Q&A on Therapeutic Use Exemptions
WADA Checklists for TUE Applications
WADA Guidelines for the 2021 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE)
WADA Anti-Doping Education and Learning (ADEL)