Virtus is a signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code as the basis for the fight against doping in sport.
We treat the issue of doping very seriously. Competitors, coaches, member organisations, event organisers and Sport Technical Officers should read and understand the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) procedures carefully and ensure they are upheld at every opportunity.
The Anti-Doping Committee oversees all aspects of the Virtus anti-doping programme. The programme is based upon our Testing Pool policy (TP), and focuses upon in-competition testing at all organised events, therapeutic-use exemption management, and test-result management.
Resources and Guides
Anti-Doping Education is essential for all athletes’ development. Virtus has compiled together some tools and resources in various languages to support Member Organisations with education of coaches and athletes.
- Video: Level the Playing Field
- Video: Say No! to Doping
- Video: Doping Control Process
- Guide: Dangers of Doping
- Guide: The Doping Control Process
- Guide: Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) At a Glance
- Guide: Strict Liability
- Guide: Athlete Biological Passport
- Guide: Managing Supplement Risks (credit: UK Anti-Doping)
- Guide: Rights and Responsibilities of Athletes (credit: UK Anti-Doping)
- Guide: Rights and Responsibilities of Athlete Support Personnel (credit: UK Anti-Doping)
- Guide: Introduction to Testing (credit: UK Anti-Doping)
- Guide: Anti-Doping Rule Violations (credit: UK Anti-Doping)
- Guide: Consequences of Doping (credit: UK Anti-Doping)
- Guide: Whereabouts and the Registered Testing Pool
Prohibited substances and methods
Each year, WADA publish a list of ‘banned substances and methods’ – that is substances and practices which are illegal in sport as have been deemed to be performance enhancing.
- 2021 Banned substances and methods
- 2022 Banned substances and methods (effective 1.1.2021) *
Important note: There are important changes which take effect in the 2022 list, particularly in respect of Glucorticoids. A summary of these changes can be viewed here.
Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)
Athletes, like all others, may have illnesses or conditions that require them to take particular medications. If the medication an athlete is required to take to treat an illness or condition happens to fall under the Prohibited List, a TUE may give that athlete the authorisation to take the needed medicine.
TUE applications should be sent to the Anti-Doping Committee no less than 21 days before competition – sooner where possible. TUE applications should be sent using the form below. Please do not send TUE applications by email as this is not secure.
TUE’s are granted for a specific medication with a defined dosage. They are also granted for a specific period of time and do expire. The athlete needs to comply with all the treatment conditions outlined in the TUE Application.
Note 1: Any athlete who is competing in a World or Regional competition and is using a substance which appears on the banned list must apply to Virtus for a TUE.
Note 2: In certain cases, Virtus may recognise TUE’s issued by National Federations and some International Federations. Member Organisations should contact us for advice.
More information about TUE’s:
Virtus Anti-Doping Policy
Read the full Anti-Doping Policy (Section 4.2)
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Reece Dunn- The Golden boy from Tokyo 2020 Paralympics
Reece Dunn is an athlete with an intellectual Impairment from Great Britain. He won 3 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games and emerged as the most decorated athlete with an Intellectual Impairment. He was also the most successful British athlete. -
Presentation of the Virtus para equestrian video competition 2021 (senior section)
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Presentation of the Virtus para equestrian video competition 2021 (youth section)
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Breanna Clarke (USA) Gold Medallist Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games
Breanna Clarke (USA) Gold Medallist Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games 400m (T20) shares her Games experience. -
MakingInvisibleVISIBLE - Celebrating Tokyo 2020 Paralympians in Intellectual Impairment class events
The Paralympians who competed at Tokyo2020 in Athletics, Swimming, and Table Tennis in the intellectual impairment class events. 63 Medals. 120 Athletes. You shine like stars!
Photo credit: OIS Photos -
Athletes with Intellectual Impairment at Tokyo2020 Paralympic Games
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, athletes with intellectual impairments competed in 22 medal events across Athletics, Swimming, and Table Tennis. This is a short highlights reel of some of the images from Tokyo2020, thanks to OISPhotos and ITTF. -
Todd "the HULK" Hodgetts
Before leaving Tokyo, Todd the Hulk shared with Virtus some of his thoughts.
Tokyo will be Todd's third consecutive Paralympic Games, the most any Australian athlete with an intellectual impairment has ever competed at. -
Virtus - Our place in the human race
Across the world, there are between 156-250 million people who live with a disability that is not visible. Source: WHO Report on Disability 2011.
Intellectual Impairment knows no boundaries. It cuts across the lines of racial, ethnic, educational, social, and economic backgrounds, and it can occur in any family.
There is a solution - SPORTS.
Virtus: World Intellectual Impairment Sport for 35 years has been on a mission to drive the development of elite sport worldwide for athletes with an intellectual impairment. But, like our athletes, Virtus has been invisible, mainly making a visible global impact every four years during the Global Games, which qualifies some ID athletes to compete at Paralympics in Athletics, Swimming, and Table Tennis only.
It's our time, to balance the scales and see millions of people have opportunities and access to sport, advocate for more inclusion of athletes and sports, and change the world for athletes with ID.
Virtus World Intellectual Impairment Sport, “Virtus” is the brand name of the International Federation for athletes with intellectual impairment and is a founding member of the International Paralympic Committee. Registered as a Charitable Incorporated Organisation in the UK (1173901)