Athlete's Advantage
Anti-doping starts with prevention, meaning that education on how to compete clean and with integrity should be provided at all levels of competition. USADA works diligently to maintain a comprehensive and continuous education program that serves athletes from the youth to elite levels.
Annually, around 2,800 testing pool athletes complete the Athlete’s Advantage tutorial as USADA continues in its mission to ensure all athletes are educated on timely and relevant anti-doping topics.
At the elite level, athletes can be assigned to one of USADA’s three pools- the Registered Testing Pool (RTP), the Clean Athlete Program (CAP), or the Education Pool (EP). For athletes in these pools to successfully comply with international standards, they must complete anti-doping education each year. USADA helps athletes meet this requirement through its Athlete’s Advantage e-Learning tutorial. To ensure athletes are fully aware of their pool-specific anti-doping responsibilities, USADA develops several versions of the Athlete’s Advantage tutorials. Athletes new to their pool are provided with a comprehensive explanation of prohibited substances and methods, the sample collection and result management processes, rights and responsibilities, Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs), Whereabouts requirements, ways to report suspected doping, and risks associated with dietary supplements. If an athlete has already completed the new athlete tutorial, they will complete the returning athlete tutorial, which is an abbreviated course that covers anti-doping updates, resources, and reminders. Regardless of the tutorial, athletes are required to pass an assessment on the content when added to a pool and each subsequent year.
In the event an athlete is moved to another testing pool, they would be expected to complete the Athlete’s Advantage tutorial specific to their pool inclusion. Similarly, if an athlete is removed but returns to a testing pool, they would be responsible for completing education upon their return.
The Athlete’s Advantage eLearning tutorials can be accessed through an athlete’s Athlete Connect account, which allows an athlete to fulfill their education requirements on a computer, tablet, or mobile device, making it as convenient as possible for athletes to remain compliant.