Therapeutic use exemptions (TUE)

The International Standard for Granting Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) developed by the World Anti-Doping Agency provides the framework for athletes to use medicines on the ‘Prohibitive List’ to treat legitimate medical conditions.

This is important because athletes, like everyone else, may suffer from illnesses (for example, asthma) that require them to take particular medications. Provided that the need for medications is genuine, and subject to specific criteria, the use of medications should not impact on the ability of athletes to play sport. Athletes that have a duly authorised TUE will not be considered to have committed an anti-doping rule violation following a positive test result for the approved medication so long as the conditions of the TUE were fully met.

The TUE standard is an integral part of the International Convention against Doping in Sport because it is fundamental to international harmonization in the fight against doping in sport. Adherence to this standard ensures that the process for granting TUEs is the same across all sports organizations and countries.