What are whereabouts?
Whereabouts are information provided by a limited number of top elite athletes about their location to their International Sport Federation (FIM) or National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) that included them in the respective Registered Testing Pool (RTP) as part of these top elite athletes’anti-doping responsibilities.
Why are whereabouts important for clean sport?
Out-of-competition testing with no-advance notice is one of the most powerful means of deterrence and detection of doping. To support this type of testing, the FIM has created testing pools as part of its testing program.
What are Registered Testing Pool (RTP) / Testing Pools (TP)?
Certain riders in the FIM testing pools, such as those in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP), are required to provide information on their whereabouts in ADAMS, WADA’s online Anti-Doping Administration and Management System.
The FIM-ITA updates the composition of the testing pools (RTP) regularly/at least yearly. Riders in the RTP are chosen based on set criteria.
How do riders know they need to provide whereabouts?
Riders who need to provide whereabouts in ADAMS are notified by ITA of their inclusion in a testing pool as well as what information exactly is required of them, how to use ADAMS, deadlines to submit this information and any consequences if the information required is not submitted.
What do RTP/TP riders need to know?
In line with the World Anti-Doping Code and the FIM Anti-Doping rules, Riders in RTP or TP must provide reliable information about their whereabouts using the WADA online ADAMS System, which ensures an effective out-of-competition testing program.
Doping Control Officers rely on this information to find riders for out-of-competition testing. These riders are categorized into either a Testing Pool (TP) or a Registered Testing Pool (RTP). RTP riders have stricter whereabouts requirements, and there are more significant consequences for failing to meet these requirements.
Consequences of failing to submit accurate whereabouts information
There are several consequences to not providing accurate whereabouts, submitting whereabouts after the quarterly deadline and to not being present at the location indicated in ADAMS without a valid reason:
Filing Failure – Any rider who is included in the RTP and who submits late, inaccurate or incomplete whereabouts may receive a Filing Failure.
Missed Test (RTP only) – Any rider who is included in the RTP may also receive a Missed Test if he/she is not available for testing during a 60-minute timeslot.
Any combination of three Whereabouts failures (Filing Failure and/or Missed Test) within a 12-month period may constitute an Anti-Doping Rule Violation and a potential two-year ban from sport.
Should riders have any query on ADAMS, such as how to submit whereabouts, please refer to the ADAMS Help Center or contact fim@ita.sport and whereabouts@ita.sport
Tips for RTP/TP athletes
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ADAMS system
You can find details about the whereabouts process and the ADAMS system by visiting the following links:
What should riders do if they wish to retire or return to competition after retiring?
Any FIM rider who decides to retire from competition must inform the FIM. As soon as the retirement is officially confirmed to the FIM, the rider will be withdrawn from the FIM RTP/TP with immediate effect.
If a rider wishes to resume competing, they will not be able to do so until they have given the FIM written notice of their intent to resume competition and made themselves available for testing for a period of six months. Please consult Article 5.6.2 of the FIM Anti-Doping Rules.