Combative Sport Anti-Doping Policy
Learn about anti-doping policies that apply to individuals who hold a licence to participate in professional combative sport contests or exhibitions.
Overview
This document summarizes key aspects of Ontario’s anti-doping policy. The policy applies to all individuals who hold a licence issued under the Combative Sports Act, 2019 (CSA) to participate as contestants in a professional combative sport contest or exhibition.
Note: In the event of any conflict between this document and the Combative Sports Act, 2019 legislation or regulations, the legislation and regulations prevail.
Prohibited substances and methods
Professional combative sport contestants must not take prohibited substances or use prohibited methods. The World Anti-Doping Code International Standard Prohibited List provides a complete list of prohibited substances and methods.
All professional contestants must familiarize themselves with the substances on this list.
Testing
As a condition of the issued licence, contestants may be randomly selected during a contest or exhibition to provide urine samples for testing for the presence of a banned substance(s).
Medical exemptions
Contestants must fill out and submit a medical exemption form before using a prohibited substance or method for medical reasons.
This is required at least 30 days before any bout the contestant wants to take part in to ensure that the application will be considered in time.
Violations and penalties
A contestant is considered as having violated the Anti-Doping Policy in circumstances such as:
- having a prohibited substance in their system
- failing to provide samples for testing
- interfering with testing in any way
Such conduct may result in one or more of the following:
- licence suspension
- licence cancellation
- licence ineligibility
- disqualification of contest or exhibition results
- administrative penalty
Testing results management
The licensee is notified of a potential anti-doping policy violation in writing. There is an opportunity to request a second review of the urine sample collected at the time of testing and/or to provide an explanation for the presence of the banned substance.
The Commissioner will communicate the final decision in writing to the licensee. The decision will include options on how to proceed.