Anti-Doping

Effective Date: August 10, 2026

The Nordic Walking Association of North America (“NWANA,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) supports clean sport, fair competition, athlete education, and sport integrity.

This Anti-Doping Policy applies to NWANA athletes, participants, license holders, instructors, coaches, officials, organizers, volunteers, teams, and any person involved in NWANA sport activities, competitions, challenges, training, rankings, or representative pathways.

NWANA uses anti-doping education to help participants understand clean sport principles and their responsibilities as Nordic Walking develops as a competitive sport in North America.

1. Purpose

The purpose of this Anti-Doping Policy is to:

• promote clean and fair competition;
• educate athletes and support personnel;
• discourage doping, banned substance misuse, and result manipulation;
• protect athlete health and safety;
• support sport integrity;
• prepare athletes for higher levels of competition;
• establish basic anti-doping education expectations for NWANA participation.

2. Clean Sport Commitment

NWANA expects all participants to compete and participate honestly, safely, and fairly.

Athletes, instructors, coaches, officials, organizers, and support personnel must not encourage, assist, conceal, or participate in doping, banned substance misuse, prohibited methods, result manipulation, or conduct that undermines clean sport.

3. Education-Based Approach

NWANA’s anti-doping approach begins with education.

At the current stage of Nordic Walking Sport development in North America, NWANA uses a two-level education pathway:

• Level 1: Basic Anti-Doping Education
• Level 2: Elite / International Anti-Doping Education

These education steps are designed to be simple, scalable, and appropriate for a developing sport system.

4. Level 1: Required Basic Education

NWANA may require athletes and license holders to complete basic anti-doping education before participating in certain NWANA sport activities, rankings, competitions, or license-based eligibility programs.

For Level 1, NWANA may use the WADA Play True Quiz as a baseline education tool.

Level 1 is intended to help participants understand:

• clean sport principles;
• athlete responsibility;
• fair competition;
• risks of prohibited substances;
• importance of checking medications and supplements;
• basic anti-doping awareness.

Participants may be asked to save a certificate, screenshot, or other completion proof.

WADA Play True Quiz

5. Level 2: Elite / International Pathway

Athletes entering elite, national team, representative, or international participation pathways may be required to complete additional anti-doping education.

For Level 2, NWANA may direct athletes to WADA ADEL education modules or other appropriate clean sport education resources.

Level 2 may apply to:

• elite athlete pathways;
• national team consideration;
• international event participation;
• representative team participation;
• higher-level competition;
• athletes selected or invited for advanced NWANA sport opportunities.

NWANA may request proof of completion before confirming eligibility, selection, ranking status, or participation.

WADA ADEL

6. Proof of Completion

NWANA may require athletes, license holders, instructors, coaches, or support personnel to provide proof of anti-doping education completion.

Acceptable proof may include:

• certificate;
• screenshot;
• completion record;
• confirmation from an education platform;
• upload through a NWANA course or license process.

NWANA may provide an upload process through NWANA Academy, a license application, a course lesson, or another official NWANA form.

7. Athlete and Support Personnel Responsibility

Athletes are responsible for what they use, consume, and submit in competition or training.

Coaches, instructors, officials, organizers, team leaders, parents, guardians, and support personnel should not encourage or assist any athlete in using banned substances, unsafe supplements, prohibited methods, or dishonest practices.

All participants are encouraged to be careful with:

• medications;
• supplements;
• injections;
• recovery products;
• performance claims;
• substances provided by others;
• products that may contain undisclosed ingredients.

When in doubt, athletes should seek qualified guidance from appropriate medical or anti-doping resources.

8. Supplements and Medications

NWANA does not approve, certify, recommend, or guarantee the safety or legality of supplements, medications, recovery products, or performance products.

Athletes should understand that supplements may carry contamination or labeling risks.

Use of a medication or supplement does not remove an athlete’s responsibility for compliance with applicable anti-doping rules in competitions where such rules apply.

9. Competition and Event Requirements

Specific NWANA events, competitions, rankings, teams, or representative pathways may include additional anti-doping requirements.

These may include:

• completion of anti-doping education;
• certificate upload;
• eligibility review;
• signed acknowledgments;
• compliance with event rules;
• compliance with applicable governing body or international rules;
• cooperation with testing or review procedures where applicable.

Failure to meet anti-doping requirements may affect eligibility, ranking, selection, license status, results, or participation.

10. Prohibited Conduct

NWANA may take action if a person engages in conduct that undermines clean sport, including:

• use of prohibited substances or methods where applicable rules prohibit them;
• encouraging doping or substance misuse;
• providing prohibited substances to athletes;
• falsifying education proof;
• refusing required education or compliance steps;
• manipulating results or eligibility;
• concealing anti-doping violations;
• retaliating against a person who reports a concern;
• interfering with a review or investigation.

11. Review and Enforcement

NWANA may review anti-doping concerns, eligibility questions, education completion issues, or suspected clean sport violations.

NWANA may take action when appropriate, including:

• education or warning;
• requirement to complete or repeat education;
• removal from rankings;
• disqualification from an event or challenge;
• denial of eligibility;
• suspension from participation;
• denial, suspension, or revocation of a NWANA license or certification;
• removal from team, representative, instructor, coach, official, or organizer roles;
• referral to appropriate sport authorities where applicable.

NWANA may act immediately when needed to protect athletes, competition fairness, sport integrity, or the reputation of NWANA.

12. Reporting Concerns

NWANA encourages reporting of clean sport concerns, suspected doping, unsafe supplement practices, result manipulation, falsified education proof, or other sport integrity concerns.

Reports should include as much relevant information as possible, such as:

• name of the person involved;
• event or program;
• date and location;
• description of the concern;
• witnesses, if any;
• supporting documents, screenshots, messages, photos, or other evidence.

13. No Retaliation

NWANA does not tolerate retaliation against anyone who raises a good-faith anti-doping, clean sport, safety, or integrity concern.

Retaliation may result in restriction, suspension, removal, license action, or other disciplinary action.

14. Relationship to WADA

NWANA may use education tools and resources provided by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), including the WADA Play True Quiz and WADA ADEL platform.

Use of WADA education tools does not mean that NWANA is WADA, is operated by WADA, or is an official WADA representative.

Participants should review WADA resources directly for current anti-doping education and information.

15. Policy Updates

NWANA may update this Anti-Doping Policy from time to time as NWANA sport programs, competition levels, education systems, and participation pathways develop.

Updates will be posted on this page with a revised effective date.

Continued participation in NWANA activities after updates are posted means you acknowledge the updated policy.

16. Contact NWANA

For anti-doping education questions or clean sport concerns, contact NWANA:

Email: info@nwaofna.org
Subject line: Anti-Doping Question