Yesterday I spent some time with the ITU’s doping control officer, Leslie Buchanan. She filled in some of the blanks, and here is what she said:
SLOWTWITCH: Who is evaluating these TUEs? Is it the ITU or some or another anti-doping organization?
BUCHANAN: The ITU will be reviewing the TUEs, which will be for juniors, U23, and elites. If an athlete has a TUE that’s been accepted by their anti-doping organization, we tend to follow that. All we’re asking for of an AG athlete is a doctor’s certification that that’s the drug that they’re on and why they’re on it.
SLOWTWITCH: What if an AGer has a TUE?
BUCHANAN: That’s fine, that’s great, and some have been forwarded to us.
SLOWTWITCH: Who evaluates TUE requests? Have you already decided on those who’ll man a review panel?
BUCHANAN: We’re just doing it in the office if there’s not a problem, if everything goes smoothly. If it’s difficult then we’ll put it in front of a review panel.
SLOWTWITCH: It is my understanding that IFs are not in the business of evaluating and approving TUEs. Am I wrong in my assumption?
BUCHANAN: IFs can approve TUEs.
SLOWTWITCH: Are you evaluating these TUEs now, or will you evaluate them after the race, if and when there is a positive?
BUCHANAN: What’s happening, I don’t have all the documentation from all the NFs, some will give me a file once I get to Hamburg. With some NFs the individual athletes are informing me of the medication they’re on. If the athlete gets tested we may then ask them to give us proof .
SLOWTWITCH: Is this the Cologne lab, or another lab that’s doing the testing?
BUCHANAN: My meeting in Hamburg will determine that. We’ll be discussing that when I get to Hamburg. I can tell you Tuesday or Wednesday.
SLOWTWITCH: Has it been workload as usual in the ITU office since this announcement, or have you been flooded as a result of your announcement?
BUCHANAN: I would say I have been flooded. But a lot of it is just questions. And I’m happy to get them, because this is an educational process that will be great for our sport.