Whereabouts, Retirement & Return to Competition

What are testing pools and why are whereabouts important for clean sport?

Registered Testing Pool (RTP): it is the pool of highest-priority athletes, established at the international level by WBSC and at the national level by National Anti-Doping Organizations; it is subject to focused in-competition and out-of-competition testing.

WBSC Testing Pool (TP): it is the tier below the Registered Testing Pool, it includes athletes from whom some whereabouts information is required in order to test them out-of-competition. The WBSC TP is reviewed with ITA every year.

Out-of-competition testing with no-advance notice is one of the most powerful means of deterrence and detection of doping. To support this type of testing, the WBSC has created testing pools as part of its testing program.

Certain athletes in the WBSC testing pools, such as those in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP), are required to provide information on their whereabouts in ADAMS, WADA’s online anti-doping administration and management system. The WBSC updates the composition of the testing pools (RTP) regularly/at least yearly. Athletes in the RTP are chosen based on set criteria.

How do athletes know they need to provide whereabouts?

Athletes who need to provide whereabouts in ADAMS are notified by the WBSC of their inclusion in a testing pool as well as what information exactly is required of them, how to use ADAMS, deadlines to submit this information and any consequences if the information required is not submitted.

What do RTP/TP athletes need to know?

Requirements for TP athletes

In particular, the athletes included in the WBSC Testing Pool shall provide the following whereabouts:

  • an overnight address;
  • competition/event schedule;
  • regular training activities.

For more information, please refer to the ISTI (you can find the link on "Documents & Regulations").

Consequences for TP athletes

As established in the art. 5.5.12 of the WBSC AD Rules, an athlete's failure to provide whereabouts information on or before the date required by WBSC or the athlete's failure to provide accurate whereabouts information may result in WBSC elevating the athlete to WBSC's Registered Testing Pool (if one is established) and/or additional appropriate and proportionate non-Code Article 2.4 consequences, established by WBSC if any.

Requirements for RTP athletes

According with the art. 4.8.6.2 of the WADA International Standard for Testing and Investigations (ISTI), an athlete who is in a Registered Testing Pool shall:

  • provide accurate and complete information about the athlete's whereabouts during the forthcoming quarter, including where they will be living, training and competing;
  • describe in detail a 60-minute time slot in which to be available at a specific location for control.

Consequences for RTP athletes

Several consequences such as a potential two-year ban from baseball and softball are established in case of missed whereabouts information, in addition to those determined in the art. 10-11 of the same rules.

The athletes are strict liable about the insertion of their whereabouts.

Tips for athletes

  • Set a calendar reminder of the key dates/deadlines to submit quarterly whereabouts information;
  • Set an alarm for the start of the 60-minute time slot;
  • Be as specific as possible when submitting your whereabouts information;
  • Make modifications to your whereabouts information when changes occur;
  • If you have any doubts, please contact antidoping@wbsc.org or use the ADAMS Help Centre if you require technical support with ADAMS;
  • Download the app Athlete Central in order to facilitate all the processes related to the whereabouts system;
  • Check the WADA Q&A Whereabouts;
  • Check the At-a-Glance: Athlete Whereabouts.

Retirement & Return to Competition

What should athletes do if they wish to retire or return to competition after retiring?

All WBSC International-Level Athletes who decide to retire from competition must inform the WBSC by completing and sending the Retirement Notification Form below.  

For RTP athletes, as soon as the retirement is officially confirmed to the WBSC, the athlete will be withdrawn from the WBSC’s RTP with immediate effect. If an athlete wishes to resume competing, they will not be able to do so until they have given the WBSC written notice of their intent to resume competition (i.e., by completing and sending a Return to Competition Form) and made themselves available for testing for a period of six months.Please consult Article 5.6 of the WBSC Anti-Doping Rules.

Document Name
Exemption Application Guidelines
Exemption Application Procedure
Exemption Application – Form 1 – To be completed by the athlete
Exemption Application – Form 2 – To be completed by the first ADO
Exemption Application – Form 3 – To be completed by the second ADO
Retirement Notification Form
Return to Competition Form