Releases

WADA publishes two revised Technical Documents

td2023

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published revised versions of the following Technical Documents (TDs): 

  1. TD2023APMU
  2. TD2023DBS

The two TDs were approved during WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting on 17 November 2022 and will come into effect on 1 January 2023.

Under the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), WADA’s TDs are issued to provide direction to WADA-accredited Laboratories, WADA-approved Laboratories for the Athlete Biological Passport, and other stakeholders, on specific technical or procedural issues. As part of WADA’s mandate to enhance anti-doping activities under the World Anti-Doping Code, TDs undergo periodic revisions to reflect scientific and technological advances in the performance of anti-doping analyses and the reporting of analytical results. They are refined and revised in consultation with WADA stakeholders.

Accordingly, all WADA-approved Athlete Passport Management Units (APMU) and all WADA-accredited Laboratories are required to implement the TD2023APMU and the TD2023DBS, respectively, as further detailed below, by 1 January 2023.

1. TD2023APMU

The TD2023APMU provides specific requirements that an APMU shall meet in order to be a WADA-approved APMU. The TD2023APMU replaces the former TD2021APMU, version 2.0, to reflect the upcoming implementation of the Endocrine Module of the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), and the addition of two new steroid Markers in blood (serum) within the Steroidal Module of the ABP.

The amendments to TD2023APMU include:

  • Details of ABP Expert pool composition for the Endocrine Module and updates for the Steroidal Module (Article 6).
  • Description of “active passports” provided in Articles 7.1.3 and 7.2.1.
  • Clarification regarding review of Atypical Passport Findings (ATPFs) and the specific Markers involved (Article 8) based on best practice recommendations.
  • Updates to Article 8.6 concerning the preparation of ABP Documentation Packages.

2. TD2023DBS

The TD2023DBS provides requirements and procedures for Analytical Testing and storage as it relates to Dried Blood Spot (DBS) Testing. The TD2023DBS replaces the former TD2021DBS following the revision of the International Standard for Testing and Investigation (ISTI). The mandatory requirements related to the collection, initial storage and transport of DBS Samples have been transferred to the new Annex J of the ISTI, which becomes effective on 1 January 2023.

Therefore, the amendments to TD2023DBS include:

  • The removal of the article that pertains to conducting the DBS Sample Collection Session; and
  • The removal of the article that pertains to the requirements for transport of DBS Samples.

In addition, the non-mandatory procedures related to Sample collection and transport will be presented in future versions of the Sample Collection Guidelines, Doping Control Officer manual or any other relevant document(s) and therefore were also removed from the TD2023DBS.

The TD2023DBS retains requirements and procedures for Analytical Testing and storage of DBS Samples, as originally approved in the TD2021DBS. Moreover, based on feedback received from the stakeholders and the WADA Laboratory Expert Advisory Group, improvements and minor adjustments have been made. The TD2023DBS does not propose any new requirements.

The above TDs are available and indexed on WADA’s website.

Should you have any questions regarding the above TDs, we invite you to contact WADA’s Science Department at: science@wada-ama.org.