Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport

(Ottawa, Ontario – June 25, 2020) – As athletes and sports return to training and provincial health restrictions are lifted, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) has developed supplemental doping control procedures to enable the safe resumption of urine sample collection under the Canadian Anti-Doping Program (CADP) effective July 13, 2020.

On March 27, 2020, the CCES announced that it would suspend all doping control testing due to COVID-19. Athletes have continued to be subject to the jurisdiction of the CADP including submitting whereabouts information, however no samples have been collected. The suspension of sample collection was based on the best provincial health guidance available at the time, and the fact that we were not immediately able to implement risk mitigation strategies for the potential transmission of COVID-19. 

The CCES has developed a set of supplemental doping control procedures that include the necessary safety enhancements for athletes and doping control staff in order to reduce the risk of transmission of COVID-19. The drafting process involved a complete review and risk assessment of each aspect of the doping control process, factoring in guidance from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and provincial health authorities. All personnel have been retrained to incorporate the following supplemental procedures:

• All CCES personnel will complete a COVID-19 self-assessment prior to performing work for the CCES.  
• All involved in the process will maintain appropriate physical distancing as much as possible. 
• Only urine sample collection will occur until CCES has developed the appropriate safety enhancements deemed necessary for blood collection. 
• At the time of notification, athletes will be required to complete a COVID-19 self-assessment as well. 
• CCES will initially limit the participants in all testing sessions. This will typically mean only one athlete is tested at a time. As restrictions are lifted, testing session sizes may increase.     
• All participants in the testing session must wear protective masks.
• Hand sanitizer will be available for the athlete’s use (and their representative, if applicable). 
• There will be very limited sharing of supplies. 

The CCES worked closely with the Return to Sport Task Force, led by Own the Podium (OTP), to develop these procedures, and we are grateful for the advice they provided. Anne Merklinger, CEO of OTP, said “the CCES was an active collaborator with the Return to Sport Task Force, ensuring that plans to resume doping control testing are consistent with public health guidelines and align with all of the many other return to high performance sport considerations.” 

“At the very core of our return-to-testing plan is the health and safety of our athletes and our sample collection personnel,” said Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. “The CCES would like to thank athletes and sport organizations for their cooperation and assistance with the implementation of the supplemental sample collection procedures.”

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact the CCES at [email protected].

About the CCES

The CCES is an independent, national, not-for profit organization with a responsibility to administer the Canadian Anti-Doping Program. We recognize that true sport can make a great difference for individuals, communities and our country. The CCES acknowledges funding, in part, from the Government of Canada. We are committed to making sport better by working collaboratively to activate a values-based and principle-driven sport system; protecting the integrity of sport from the negative forces of doping and other unethical threats; and advocating for sport that is fair, safe and open to everyone.

For further information, please contact:

Megan Cumming
Corporate Communications Manager
+1 613-521-3340 x3233
[email protected]