Abbreviations and Key Terms

• ADRV (Anti-doping Rule Violation): WADA defines an analytical ADRV as the “presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in an athlete’s sample,” or in simpler terms, a positive test.
   
• An anti-doping rule violation (ADRV): refers to breaking rules set by anti-doping organizations to ensure fair sports competition. It includes using banned substances or methods, tampering with samples, refusing tests, trafficking substances, aiding others in doping, and more. Penalties include suspension, loss of medals, fines, and reputational damage.
   
• Adverse analytical findings: is a report from a WADA-accredited laboratory that identifies in a sample, the presence of a prohibited substance or its by products  It indicates potential doping but does not immediately conclude an anti-doping rule violation. Further investigation and due process are required to determine if a violation has occurred,
   
• Article 10.6: Article 10.6 in the WADA Code covers the handling of anti-doping rule violations (ADRVs). It outlines procedures for notifying athletes, organizing hearings with independent panels, presenting evidence, and ensuring the athlete's right to be heard. This ensures a fair and transparent process for resolving violations in line with due process principles.
   
• Athlete support personnel: means coaches, physicians, other medical staff, parents, along with anyone else who helps athletes in their competitive life.
   
• Batch number: In the context of a sports supplement, batch number is an identifier given to supplements produced in the same manufacturing process and may consist of numbers, letters, or symbols. It helps track and manage supplements, ensuring quality control and aiding in recalls if needed. The batch number contains information about production details, date, and location, allowing for quick identification of any issues in a particular batch without affecting other batches.
   
• Batch testing: Batch testing for sports supplements involves conducting quality control assessments on a specific group of supplement products. It includes verifying ingredient accuracy, checking for contaminants, confirming potency, and evaluating overall quality. This process ensures supplements are safe, effective, and compliant with regulations, reducing the risk of athletes consuming harmful substances or facing anti-doping violations.
   
• Contaminated supplement: is a supplement that may be contaminated with small amounts of hormones, steroids, or other compounds on the list of prohibited substances.
   
• Cross-contamination: refers to unintended mixing or transfer of substances between products, which can lead to the presence of prohibited or banned substances in a supplement. This poses a risk to athletes, as even trace amounts of such substances can result in positive doping tests.
   
• Doping: is the occurrence of one or more of the anti-doping rule violations. It refers to athletes using prohibited substances or methods to gain an unfair advantage and enhance their performance. This includes banned drugs and techniques that violate sports regulations set by organizations like WADA.
   
• Ergogenic aids: are performance-enhancing substances, nutritional supplements, and a variety of techniques aimed to improve an athlete's exercise performance capacity.
   
• Good Manufacturing Process (GMP): is a system for ensuring that products are consistently produced and controlled according to quality standards. Adhering to GMP helps ensure that sports supplements are safe, accurately labeled, and free from contamination.
   
• No fault or no negligence: Is a concept that recognizes inadvertent doping while maintaining accountability. It refers to situations where athletes unintentionally violate anti-doping rules without intending to cheat. If an athlete can prove they took reasonable precautions to avoid prohibited substances but still tested positive due to circumstances beyond their control (like contaminated supplements), they might receive less severe sanctions.
   
• Positive test refers to a drug test showing one or more drugs/prohibited substance(s) were found in an athlete’s sample. It can lead to anti-doping rule violations if confirmed through further analysis.
   
• Prohibited list: by WADA is the list of substances and methods prohibited in sports due to their potential to enhance performance. It is updated annually, and athletes must avoid these to ensure fair competition. Users of supplements should be cautious, as some may contain prohibited ingredients.
   
• Prohibited method: Prohibited methods in sports are banned techniques like blood doping and gene doping, listed by WADA to ensure fair play and competition integrity.
  
  Prohibited/banned substances are any substance that is banned or forbidden by anti-doping regulations due to their potential to enhance performance or compromise fair competition; this may include prescription or over-the-counter drugs and any other legal substance that can impair a person's judgment and functioning.
   
• QADC: Qatar Anti-Doping Commission.
   
• Sample: refers to a biological specimen, urine, or blood sample collected from an athlete for the purpose of testing and detecting the presence of prohibited substances or methods.
   
• Sanction is a penalty imposed on athletes for an anti-doping rule violation. It can include suspensions, disqualifications, loss of titles or medals, fines, and reputational damage
   
• Testing: is an official process of collecting and analyzing biological samples (urine, blood) to detect if an athlete is using any drugs/methods that are prohibited in sports.
   
• Third-Party Quality Assurance Program: refers to an external and independent system that evaluates and verifies the quality, safety, and authenticity of supplements. This program reduces the risk of inadvertently consuming banned substances.
   
• WADA/WADA code: WADA is an international organization responsible for promoting and coordinating anti-doping efforts in sports. The WADA Code is a set of rules and regulations that standardizes anti-doping policies globally. It outlines prohibited substances and methods, testing procedures, athlete rights, and sanctions for anti-doping rule violations.