There are two types of TUE:

1) A standard TUE - required for a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method other than inhaled beta-2 agonists.

2) A TUE for asthma - only required for the use of inhaled beta-2 agonists.

Athletes are no longer required to apply for an abbreviated TUE for non-systemic glucocorticosteroids but must declare to UK Sport when glucocorticosteroid use begins.

Declare use online at: https://declaration.uksport.gov.uk 

NB. In order to make a successful declaration do not include any punctuation when completing the online form    

There are different requirements for when you should apply for a TUE depending on the level at which you compete. You should contact your National Governing Body (NGB) to find out if you compete at a level, in your sport, which requires a TUE before using a prescribed Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method.

If you are an Athlete that is not required to apply for a TUE prior to competition you can make a Retroactive TUE application to UK Sport no later than ten working days following Doping Control.

If you are expected to apply for a Retroactive TUE you must check with your prescribing physician that the criteria and medical evidence needed by the Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee (TUEC) for the review and approval of a TUE can be met prior to using any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method.

Retroactive TUEs will not be granted if the criterion for approval has not been met. Any use or possession of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method is entirely at your own risk.

Before submitting a TUE:

• Inform all medical personnel that you must abide by the anti-doping rules of your sport and that any medical treatment you receive must not violate these rules.
• When prescribed a substance or method, check if your medication is prohibited.
• If your medication is prohibited, check with the prescribing physician or your sport’s medical personnel to see if there are any alternative medications or treatments that are permitted.
• If there are no permitted alternatives, contact your NGB to find out if you are required to apply for a TUE prior to competition or retroactively following Doping Control.

Where to send your TUE application:

Where to send your TUE application will depend upon two key criteria:

1. The level at which you compete

For the majority of sports, if you compete at an International Level then you will be required to submit your TUE application to the International Federation (IF) of your sport. If you are a National-Level Athlete then this should be submitted to either your NGB or to UK Sport by:

Post:
TUE Confidential

Drug-Free Sport

UK Sport

Confidential Fax: 0800 298 3362

E-mail: tue@uksport.gov.uk

NB. A TUE granted by UK Sport may not be acknowledged by your International Federation (IF). It is your responsibility prior to competing at an international event to find out the expectations of the IF or event organiser in relation to TUEs.

2. Your sport

Your NGB or IF may impose different requirements on where you send a TUE application.  Your NGB or IF may also have a specific application form that you are required to complete and information requirements you must fulfil. You should contact your NGB or UK Sport for further information.

Remember

• Medical evidence to justify the need to use a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method must be attached to the application form. A TUE application without medical evidence will not be reviewed by the UK TUEC.
• Download a copy of the UK Sport TUE application form and guidance notes on the medical evidence you need to submit to support a TUE for some of the more common medical conditions.
• Keep a copy of the application and supporting documentation sent to UK Sport, your NGB or your IF along with a receipt as proof of the date the TUE application was sent (either by post, email or fax).

What happens next?

Each TUE application is assessed in accordance with the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemption (ISTUE). This provides fair and consistent standards for the approval of the medical use of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method to all Athletes across all sports.

Applications for TUEs from National-Level Athletes are processed by UK Sport but are reviewed independently by the UK TUEC which consists of a panel of three medical practitioners with experience in the care and treatment of Athletes.

Each TUE application is reviewed against four criteria:

1. The Athlete would experience a significant impairment to health if the Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method were to be withheld in the course of treating an acute or chronic medical condition.

2. The therapeutic use of the Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method would produce no additional enhancement of performance other than that which might be anticipated by a return to a state of normal health following the treatment of a legitimate medical condition. The use of any Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method to increase “low-normal” levels of any endogenous hormone is not considered an acceptable therapeutic intervention.

3. There is no reasonable therapeutic alternative to the use of the otherwise Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method.

4. The necessity for the use of the otherwise Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method cannot be a consequence, wholly or in part, of prior non-therapeutic use of any substance from the Prohibited List.

NB. If you have not received confirmation of the decision for a Therapeutic Use Exemption within 12 working days contact UK Sport.

What happens if your TUE application is denied?

If your TUE application is denied following a review by the UK TUEC, you are entitled to appeal this decision.

If you wish to appeal a decision made by the UK TUEC you must lodge written notice of the appeal to UK Sport within ten working days of receiving the TUE decision in question. You should specify the grounds of the appeal and submit any further evidence in support of the application.

Post:
TUE Confidential

Drug-Free Sport

UK Sport

Confidential Fax: 0800 298 3362

E-mail: tue@uksport.gov.uk

UK Sport will pass the notice of appeal to the UK TUE Appeal Panel, made up of three new members who were not involved in the original decision being appealed.

If the appeal is unsuccessful, you have the right to further appeal to WADA and if WADA fail to reverse the decision a final appeal can be made to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS). If WADA or CAS determine that the denial of the TUE did not comply with the ISTUE, they may reverse the decision.

What do I need to do if my TUE application cannot be approved prior to using a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method?

Emergency approval of an application for a TUE may be granted only when:

• Emergency treatment or treatment of an acute medical condition was necessary; or
• Due to exceptional circumstances, there was insufficient time or opportunity for the Athlete to submit, or for the relevant TUE Committee (TUEC) to consider, an application prior to Doping Control.
  
  

NB. You should not assume that by submitting an emergency TUE application it will be granted. Any use or possession of a Prohibited Substance or Prohibited Method before a TUE has been granted shall be entirely at your own risk.

Fees and Charges

UK Sport does not charge for the administration and processing of TUE applications.

If your prescribing physician chooses to charge for the completion of the TUE application form or the provision of additional medical information, you must cover the cost. This includes the cost of bronchodilator and bronchoprovocation testing to confirm the diagnosis of asthma.

Confidentiality

By signing the Athlete Declaration on the TUE application form, the applicant authorises the release of personal medical information to the Anti-Doping Organisation reviewing the application, as well as to WADA staff and the WADA TUE Committee.

All TUE applications will be handled by UK Sport in strict confidence and in accordance with current Data Protection laws.