[COACH’S ADVANTAGE]


Understanding the Coach’s Role in Anti-Doping Coaches play a vital role in the development of athletes at all levels, for more than just their


talent and skills for sport. Coaches are some of the most influential people in athletes’ lives. And, as guidance counselor, confidant, advisor, friend, mentor, and coach, they are in a unique position to help athletes make positive and healthy choices. To that end, USADA is committed to helping further educate coaches and other athlete


support personnel on their role in the anti-doping movement. USADA offers a tutorial for coaches to take called Coach’s Advantage, in order to arm all National Team coaches with the latest anti-doping knowledge. Coach’s Advantage is a comprehensive, online educational tutorial comprised of six video modules. The lessons cover the WADA Prohibited List and 2015 Code changes, the sample collection process, Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), and whereabouts responsibilities. Coaches will receive a certificate of completion by finishing the modules and taking a final quiz. The 2016 version will be released soon and coaches can email coachsadvantage@usada.org for questions or to be alerted when the tutorial goes live.


The tutorial covers many important areas of anti-doping that all coaches need to be


aware of and informed on. Topics include: • Understanding the World Anti-Doping Code and its importance; • The Prohibited List and Therapeutic Use Exemptions; • The sample collection process, including athlete rights and responsibilities; • Athlete whereabouts responsibilities and how to stay compliant; • And the importance of coaching and your influence.


Education is one of the key aspects of an effective anti-doping program and is often the first


line of defense in protecting the rights of clean athletes. With this understanding, USADA pro- vides extensive anti-doping education to thousands of athletes and coaches each year, help- ing them understand their rights and responsibilities in regards to the drug testing process. It should be noted that, as per the revised 2015 Code, athlete support personnel, including


coaches, may also receive anti-doping rule violations and sanctions. The revised Code also prohibits an athlete from associating with coaches, or other athlete support personnel who are sanctioned and/or criminally convicted of doping. In fact, WADA just recently published its global list of suspended athlete support personnel on its website. This list represents 114 in- dividuals who are currently suspended from working with athletes or other persons under the 2015 Code’s new “Prohibited Association” rule. To learn more about the 2015 Code and review the areas relevant to athlete support personnel, such as the Prohibited Association and Com- plicity anti-doping rule violations, visit http://www.usada.org/about/world-anti-doping-code/.


USADA recognizes the role coaches play and remains committed to helping further educate


and support them on the importance of ensuring athlete success in both anti-doping program compliance and clean competition.


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