WADA publishes Professional Standards tailored to Therapeutic Use Exemptions workforce

Today, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes Professional Standards aimed at improving the level of knowledge, skills and competencies of the global anti-doping Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) workforce. These Standards, aimed at TUE Administrators and TUE Committee Members, were endorsed by WADA’s Education Committee and welcomed by the Agency’s Executive Committee when they met on 9 May 2023.

Publication of these Professional Standards, along with the associated Role Descriptors (related to TUE Administrators and TUE Committee Members) and TUE Global Skills Survey Report, marks the next step of WADA’s Global Learning and Development Framework (GLDF) initiative as further described below.

A Technical Working Group supported development of the TUE role-specific Professional Standards and Role Descriptors (which can be found on each of the corresponding role pages linked above); and, content for a TUE role-specific training program that encompasses e-learning, trainer-led session and one-on-one mentoring sessions.

These new TUE documents precede the documents that will be published for Testing at the end of 2023 and add to the already existing Professional Standards and Role Descriptors published in 2022, which include:

• Results Management Professional Standard
• Intelligence and Investigations Professional Standard
• Hearing Panel Professional Standard
• Education Professional Standard
• Privacy and Data Protection Professional Standard
• Communications & Media Relations Professional Standard

All the Professional Standards -- available in English, French and Spanish -- were created in collaboration with stakeholders and describe:

• The main functions for a given anti-doping role;
• The expected standard of competence using performance criteria;
• The knowledge and skills required to perform the role

More about GLDF

The Global Learning and Development Framework supports the ‘Grow Impact’ priority of WADA’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan, which commits WADA ‘to develop training programs and qualifications standards for anti-doping professionals to improve professionalism and enhance the capabilities of the anti-doping workforce.

All GLDF Professional Standards are developed by Technical Working Groups composed of professionals that represent a global cross-section of organizations and regions. The Groups comprise:

• Subject matter experts currently fulfilling these roles around the world;
• WADA technical experts;
• An external representative from the European Observatoire of Sport and Employment;
• A non-technical Chair from the anti-doping education field to facilitate the process

WADA encourages Anti-Doping Organizations and other stakeholders to use the Professional Standards to develop their practitioners and the contingent workforce who support delivery of their anti-doping programs. The Professional Standards can also be used to evaluate professional competencies and support development through the identification of opportunities for improvement.