Drug-Free Sport

British Skydiving fully supports Drug-Free Sport and is committed to preventing drug misuse in skydiving. Drug misuse is cheating and may prejudice your safety and the safety of others. There is no place for the misuse of drugs in our sport.

See Form 220: Anti-Doping Policy and Rules, downloadable from the Forms page.

Competitors are strictly liable

Remember, as a competitor, there is strict liability on you (ie, it is your own personal responsibility) to avoid prohibited methods and substances – unannounced random doping tests may be conduted at national or international competitions. The penalties for drug misuse are severe, including disqualification and bans. A positive test will lead to disqualification of the whole team. Anti-doping rules and penalties are now harmonising around the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) requirements.

See the website of FAI, the World Air Sports Federation – the International Governing Body for Air Sports – for more on anti-doping in airsports, fai.org/anti-doping, which has links to the World Anti-Doping Agency website.

Stay up-to-date with the latest prohibited list of substances and methods.

FAI covers the airsports below and enquiries for these sports should be searched for using ‘Aeronautics’: Ballooning, General Aviation, Gliding, Aeromodelling, Parachuting, Aerobatic, Astronautic Records , Hang Gliding & Paragliding, Microlight, Rotorcraft.

Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)

A Therapeutic Use Exemption Form completed by a doctor may be required for mandatory pre-notification of the use of certain medications.

Random testing

Competitors: YOU may be required to take a random drugs test. Remember that alcohol, numerous prescribed and ‘over the counter’ medicines – including decongestants – and even caffeine from drinking excessive tea, coffee or soft drinks (such as cola drinks) are prohibited – as well as performance-enhancing drugs and, of course, illegal substances. Getting it from a doctor on prescription is no defence! Each athlete is strictly liable, which means that it is their own personal responsibility to ensure that they comply fully with this policy. Lack of knowledge is no excuse – careful study of the rules set out in this document is essential. A positive test result means disqualification for the whole team, loss of any funding, and a ban for the individual. The test is concerned with whether a prohibited substance is present in the body, not how or why it got there.

Always check it out!

Drug-Free Sport