The programme Athletes For Transparency (AFT) was originally a research program supported by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) related to the pilot study of a technical feasibility of registering biological parameters within a bank Individual data for the indirect detection of doping. This research program has helped to assist the technical implementation of the biological passport (http://www.wada-ama.org/en/dynamic.ch2?pageCategory.id=344 )
The purpose of this project was to test four main types of technical procedures governing the operation of the program AFT:
* Accession procedure (identification / acceptance of the methods of realization / alignment
* Procedure for entry permits to use for therapeutical purposes (AUT)
* Procedure for the realization biological tests (convening / Production / data integration and sharing)
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* Monitored procedure of the localization
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The objective was to provide a technical framework modular computer monitoring parameter in terms of evolutionary research and guidelines of WADA.
Today, the AFT program aims to provide a forum for the voluntary expression of athletes who wish to demonstrate an active commitment in the fight against doping.
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The programme Athletes For Transparency (AFT) was created by athletes for athletes. At the base of the project found Christophe BASTIE, professional triathlete operating mainly on the Ironman circuit, Cédric FLEURETON, professional triathlete member of the Olympic preparation 2008 and vice-champion of Europe 2005 and 2006 and Pierre SALLET holds a doctorate in sports science and has already led to a 2004-2005 research programme funded by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). . These three friends are behind the creation of the Athletes For Transparency early 2005 that serves as legal support for the program AFT.. Since the beginning of the program AFT has undergone many changes both in its scientific and technical developments as its administrative management while maintaining its perfect independence, especially the original spirit intended by its founders.
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The AFT program is aimed
at all sporting high-level or professional athletes of all nationalities, all
disciplines and regardless of their place of domicile.
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To ensure that the
financial factor could not represent a limiting factor in joining the programme
AFT a solution linked to the financing of the accession of athletes by the
programme partners AFT was put in place. As an
athlete can show his involvement in the AFT
and join the program without funding.
To do this, at the time of his adhesion, he just
has to check the space for funding
"financing by a partner of the AFT program."In doing so, his membership will become effective
(analysis can be done) once funding by the association AFT is found through a programme partner AFT. Meanwhile, the athlete may nevertheless at any time amend
his application by supporting the financing of the programme AFT with a private source (sponsor) or self-financing
his accession.
Based on this mode of
operation, membership via a private source(sponsor) or self-financing remains
the fastest way for starting the program effectively AFT.
The designated budget for partners has been limited by
the Board of Directors of the Association AFT to 2000 euros / athlete / year to
around 1000 euros for various analyses and 1000 euros in operating costs.
For information the cost of a single anti-doping
control, with additional research erythropoietin (r-HuEpo) and Growth Hormone,
can be estimated at 700 euros. Note that
for the athlete who chooses the self financing option, the budget request
includes only the analysis is 1000 euros / athlete / year.
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The practical monitoring programme for the AFT athlete involves:
1. To fill out the application form which includes all postal address, telephone and email addresses (reminder of Article 5 of the Charter: "All these details are available on the AFT site to only the Athlete and the site administrator ").
(Time estimated at 15min)
2. To declare via a form available on the platform (site) each new Authorization of Use for purposes Therapeutics (AUT) standard or abridged.
(Time estimated at 5min/AUT)
3. Undertake all requested analyses within imposed periods.
(Time estimated 1h/analyse including round trip in the laboratory of his choice or specified; the taking of blood samples and / or urine)
(Reminder of Article 6 of the charter: "The maximum number of procedures which may be submitted an athlete can not exceed 10 tests over a period of 12 consecutive months".)
4. To meet monthly to the location request by country (coming month) and indicate possible AUT already done(last month)
(Time estimated at 10min/localisation and 5min/AUT)
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As specified in Article 8 of the charter, "the athlete is free to terminate at any time his commitment to the programme AFT by the corresponding procedure. In case of a voluntary program by the AFT Athlete, no refunds will be given by the association AFT. "
Any voluntary withdrawal of the programme is essentially definitive way to prevent an athlete can get out of the program over a given period and reinstate thereafter.
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The athlete is notified via his mobile telephone (SMS) and through its email address of a request by conducting an analysis associated with a 6-digit number.
The athlete then goes preferentially in less than 48 hours with his passport and 6-digit number (presentation of sms) in the laboratory of his choice or possibly in a laboratory specified by AFT.
The laboratory must connect to the program site AFT (www.athletesfortransparency.com), click on the space laboratory and follow the procedure. After verifying the identity of the athlete and seized the 6-digit number, the laboratory will be able to know the nature of the analysis to achieve.
Once the sample taken the athlete can leave the laboratory. The athlete has obviously nothing to pay. The laboratory following the procedure is in charge of carrying out the analysis or transmits the levy and sends the bill to the Association AFT.
The association AFT is responsible for the seizure of analytical results and putting them on-line platform AFT (website). The athlete can then access to all its results from its personal space
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You may need to conduct
an analysis following a prescription from your doctor (doctor or physician federal
example) and therefore outside the scope of the programme AFT.. In this case, we invite you to send us as soon
as possible the results of this analysis, preferably in electronic (scanned
image) or possibly by mail (photocopy) and this so as to avoid duplication of
procedures and conducting close with an analysis requested by the association
AFT.
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The dates and places of
execution procedures obviously take into account the availability and location
of the athlete. In case of non-completion of an analysis requested by the
association AFT within 5 days of notification by email, the text
"procedure unrealized" appears on the detailed individual athlete
concerned in accordance with the Article 10 of the Charter athlete.
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Obviously not. Digital data from various analyses are often associated with standards and then framed between a minimum and maximum value for a given factor. It is possible for certain specific populations, with an identified disease or a living for example at altitude, that some of these data beyond the established standards. Similarly, it is possible among athletes from high-level that few individuals have values abnormally high or low for one or several factors given is not necessarily a reflection of using a form of doping.
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The coding data meets the only initiative of the association Athletes For Transparency. Indeed, paradoxically, by their adherence to AFT program, athletes allow full dissemination of all biomedical data collected (Article 3 of the charter athlete). However, in the framework of this research program it took to find a balance between transparency of results and interpretation of scientific data. Thus the "in the standard / non-standard" on the reference standard chosen allows positioning data while displaying partial guarantee, by comparison with post-data sources, transparency of results while prohibiting treatment statistics "wild".
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The data collected are the exclusive property of the association Athletes For Transparency.. However, these data can be freely provided on request to the agencies concerned. This can include national federationsof discipline and a nationality, international federations for a particular discipline, national anti-doping organizations for a given nationality or any other body directly or indirectly responsible for anti-doping.
Note that there are no legal validity to use his data to sanction an athlete.
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AFT has no legal means
to verify if an athlete joining the programme AFT said although all AUT which he
may benefit. However an athlete in the program AFT, boasting a TUE and having
omitted to declare from the corresponding procedure, besides the fact that they
did not respect the charter, also exposed to the risk always possible to see
external sources well-informed report that omission.
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AFT is the first program to offer an opportunity for athletes of high-level practice in compliance with the rules and ethics of sports show their transparency and thus contribute to gradually improve the daily in their discipline.
This attitude extremely rewarding for the athlete can also be helpful and supportive in connection with dealings with various sponsors existing or future.
By joining the programme AFT athletes high-level also contribute to improving the sporting future of generations to come.
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