How Can Pickleball Prepare for Anti-Doping Laws before It Enters the Olympics?

Anti-Doping is the prohibition of illegal drug use or doping. Athletes are required, as part of the Olympics, to submit to drug testing. Certain drugs and methods of use are banned.

How can pickleball prepare for such a drastic change and submission to anti-doping laws in the Olympics beforehand?

There are some ideas, like implementing the laws from the Olympics now (like tennis does for some of the drugs), or, an even better solution: a future committee educating players and organizers on the laws as it gets closer to the Olympics.

What are these anti-doping laws?

As mentioned, anti-doping is basically the prohibition of illegal doping. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is the agency created by the International Olympic Committee to fight against this illegal use of drugs in sports. It follows the World Anti-Doping Code (WADC) that lays out the rules. The U.S. follows this code through the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).

Why is it important to have a committee if WADA already exists?

To Prepare Players. While WADC lays out the laws, they are not straightforward and easy to understand. Since pickleball is a newer sport and has not been part of the Olympics yet, anti-doping will be a new concept.

So what are the basic things to understand about WADC?

1) It bans any SUBSTANCE AND METHODS OF USE that have the potential to enhance performance; pose an actual or potential health risk; or violate “the spirit of sport.” While this may sound straightforward, you will see, once you look at the list, just how many drugs are banned. However, not everyone understands what the “spirit of sport” even means. A committee would help clarify what this means.

2) The law bans not only certain drugs but also certain methods of use. The law bans not only certain drugs but also certain methods of use. For example, there is a limit on IV use during competition.

3) The law bans a lot of drugs (a lot). You can find the list of prohibited items at USADA.org, but the list is huge. It lists multiple categories and whether it is prohibited in-competition only or also outside of competition.

4) Some substances are not banned but advised against. While weed is banned, CBD (cannabidiol) is not. However, USADA warns against it and says it is very difficult to get pure CBD and thus athletes should be careful it is not contaminated with other Cannabinoid substances that are banned by WADA.

5) Not All Pro Sports Ban the Drugs Banned in the Olympics. While a drug can be illegal in the Olympics, it is not always banned in all pro sports. Because of this, an athlete can be left confused as to what is actually allowed and what is not in the Olympics. Being trained on this beforehand is important. For example, there is no law against cannabis use in pickleball. It is however considered a banned substance by WADA and the International Tennis Federation (ITF).

6) Not All Uses or Drugs Banned by WADA are Illegal Outside of the Olympics. It does not matter if the substance in question is legalized in the place it is used. If it is banned by the Olympics, then it cannot be used. The best example is weed. Although some states have legalized marijuana use, it is still considered a Schedule I substance under the US Controlled Substances Act. This means, federally, the use is still illegal. However, even if it was not illegal, WADA and USADA could still can its use in the Olympics (which they do, by the way) for another reason (like violating the “spirit of sport”). Some “methods of use” are also banned, such as getting saline through an IV if it is over a certain limit within a certain amount of time.

7) There are Exemptions. An athlete can apply for a Therapeutic Exemption (TUE) and be granted a TUE though if it shows “on the balance of probabilities” (meaning, the law will look at all of the probabilities surrounding the circumstances):

a) The athlete needs the substance or method of use to treat a diagnosed medical condition (with medical evidence),

b) The substance or method of use will only help the athlete return to normal and not enhance their abilities beyond what is needed to get back to normal from the diagnosed medical condition,

c) There is no alternative, and

d) The medical condition is not due to prior use of the substance or method of use without a TUE. 

Therefore, having a committee to understand all this would be important. Although this seems simple and straightforward, I did not even mention half of the laws that are in the WADC.

Who can this committee include?

This can include medical, sport, and legal professionals alike, who can educate players on it.

So overall, a great solution for pickleball to prepare for anti-doping laws in the Olympics in the future would be by creating a committee to understand the WADC beforehand.