Whereabouts

Whereabouts means that you must be where you say you are!

The Whereabouts system is essential to protecting your sport by being open and transparent about where you are, underlining the achievements of clean athletes. Whereabouts is a system designed to support out-of-competition testing and it is a widely recognised tool that is an important part of an anti-doping programme.

Remember: athletes can be tested, any time, any place.

If you are asked to provide Whereabouts information and do not do so, you risk receiving a Whereabouts Failure and possibly a ban from sport.

The facts – what you need to know about Whereabouts

Athletes who are part of a Registered Testing Pool must provide Whereabouts information each quarter to enable out-of-competition testing
Whereabouts information must be entered and updated in the Anti-Doping Administration Management System (ADAMS) managed by WADA
If you are part of a Registered Testing Pool you must provide your Whereabouts information in ADAMS by 23:59 each quarter
For athletes on a National Registered Testing Pool (NRTP) and International Registered Testing Pool (IRTP) you must provide the following information:
- Overnight accommodation
- 60-minute timeslot
- Regular activities, such as training, work, or school
- Competitions
- Mailing address
For athletes on a Domestic Testing Pool, you must provide the following information:
- Overnight accommodation
- Regular activities, such as training, work or school
- Competitions
- Mailing address
You must ensure that you provide clear instructions so that you can be easily located. For example, if your house/flat is in a rural area or not particularly obvious to a visitor, further guidance may be needed for the Doping Control Officer to find you. Access codes, hotel room numbers or side doors must be detailed in the ‘Additional Information’ section on ADAMS
Add all your regular overnight residences to your ADAMS profile, this will allow you to make changes easily
Whilst competing you must always include the competition title and the venue’s location on your Whereabouts profile. You must also continue to provide a 60-minute time slot, even on competition days
Whilst travelling abroad you should use the travel function in ADAMS. This should be used when you are unable to provide a 60-minute time slot between 5am and 11pm or an overnight accommodation entry due to travel. You should also include all travel details, e.g. flight numbers and air carriers
If you are on the National Registered Testing Pool or International Registered Testing Pool and you file your Whereabouts late, forget to update any changes or are not where you say you are, you could receive a Missed Test or Filling Failure.
If you are on a Domestic Testing Pool, and you receive three Domestic Testing Pool Filing Failures in a 12-month period, you could be added to the National Registered Testing Pool
Last-minute, unplanned emergency changes to your Whereabouts information can be made either directly on the ADAMS website or via the ADAMS Mobile App
Last-minute, unplanned emergency changes to your Whereabouts information can be made either directly on the ADAMS website or via the ADAMS Mobile App

What that means for you

You are responsible for the accuracy of your Whereabouts, even if you delegate this task to someone else

Even if you are competing aboard, injured, attending a Major Games or on holiday your Whereabouts must always be up to date

SLADA can help if you have any questions

SLADA monitors the frequency of last-minute unplanned changes on athlete’s Whereabouts profiles. If we believe that your updates are suspicious, you could be investigated for an Anti-Doping Rule Violation

What you should do

Download the WADA ADAMS Mobile App and make sure you have activated the SMS text service, saving the SMS number in your phone
Please keep your credential such as user account user name, password and other in a private and safe place. Keep a backup also.
Tell your family, friends, coach and support staff that you need to provide Whereabouts information so that they can help remind you when your Whereabouts change
Set phone reminders for each day to check your Whereabouts information is accurate and up to date
Print a copy of your ADAMS calendar for coaches and support staff
Contact SLADA if you need help
Make sure your email and phone numbers are saved on your ADAMS profile, and are up-to-date so reminders can be sent to you regarding submitting your Whereabouts for the next quarter

Where to go for further advice