Whereabouts FAQ

There are two types of possible Whereabouts Failures (described below):

• Filing Failure – A failure by the Athlete (or by a third party to whom the Athlete has delegated the task) to make an accurate and complete Whereabouts Filing that enables the Athlete to be located for Testing at the times and locations set out in the Whereabouts Filing or the failure to update their Whereabouts Filing where necessary to ensure that it remains accurate and complete at all times (in order to be located for testing), in accordance with Article 4.8 of the International Standard for Testing and Investigations and Annex B of the International Standard for Results Management.
• Missed Test – A failure by the Athlete to be available for Testing at the location and time specified in the 60-minute time slot identified in their Whereabouts Filing for the day in question, in accordance with Article 4.8 of the International Standard for Testing and Investigations and Annex B of the International Standard for Results Management.

*Please note that compliance with whereabouts requirements is the responsibility of the athlete, even in situations where athletes have delegated or share the task of managing whereabouts with a third party, such as an agent or parent.

Any combination of three Whereabouts Failures (Filing Failures and/or Missed Tests), declared by USADA, WADA, or an International Federation, within a 12-month period by an Athlete in a Registered Testing Pool would be considered an Anti-Doping Rule Violation under the World Anti-Doping Code (Article 2.4) and could result in a 2-year period of ineligibility.

When you receive notice of a potential Whereabouts Failure, you will be invited to submit an explanation regarding what caused the apparent Filing Failure or Missed Test. This is your opportunity to explain why you believe that the Whereabouts Failure should be dismissed, based on the unique circumstances of your case.

Even if this is only your first or second whereabouts failure, we generally recommend sending a response explaining the situation and asking USADA (or applicable Results Management Authority) to consider dismissing the alleged Whereabouts Failure.

If this is your third potential whereabouts failure, you may be facing a potential anti-doping rule violation that could result in a 2-year period of eligibility. We would strongly encourage you to reach out to our office, so we can help you consider your options, including  the relative value of engaging with legal counsel for your situation.

If you have questions specific to your situation, Team USA athletes may contact us at ombudsman@usathlete.org to learn more about your rights, resources and options.

In the notification letter you received indicating a potential whereabouts failure, there should be instructions on where / how to submit your response. We recommend reviewing any correspondence you received for potential instructions.

Generally, you have 14 days from the date of the initial notification letter regarding the potential Whereabouts Failure, and there should be a response deadline included in your letter.

If you are unsure of the response deadline or need to request an extension given your situation, you can contact the Results Management Authority who sent the letter.

If you are unable to find instructions or have questions, Team USA athletes can reach out to us at ombudsman@usathlete.org for assistance.

In the International Standards for Results Management (ISRM), Annex B, you can find the standards for determining whereabouts failures, requirements for a potential filing failure/missed test and the results management process. In the International Standards for Testing and Investigations (ISTI) Section 4.8.8, you can find the whereabouts filing requirements for athletes in the Registered Testing Pool. It may be helpful to look closely at B.2 of the ISRM along with 4.8.8.5 and 4.8.8.6 of the ISTI prior to crafting your response. For cases where USADA is the Results Management Authority, you may also want to refer to the Results Management Section of USADA’s Whereabouts Policy.

If you want to write a response/explanation letter regarding your potential whereabouts failure, the first thing to remember is that it’s important to be clear, concise, accurate, transparent, and honest.

If you are ready to write your letter to USADA (or other Results Management Authority) regarding a potential Whereabouts Failure, the Athlete Ombuds team offers the outline linked below as a general guideline to help you navigate what to include in your letter.

Whereabouts Response Guide

*Please note that this general outline is only a framework for you to consider as you draft your response, and is not intended to be a set script, nor legal advice.

Any evidence or documentation that supports your explanation or demonstrates your efforts to comply with the Whereabouts requirements is generally considered helpful. The following types of evidence and documentation are commonly provided and, depending on your situation, are things you could consider including with a letter responding to a potential Whereabouts Failure:

• Timeline of events detailing what occurred
• Text messages, screenshots, phone logs
• Gas, grocery, restaurant, or other receipts with time and location information
• Plane tickets, travel itineraries, emails about travel plans/updates/changes
• Video doorbell footage, security system data logs
• Whereabouts app login/activity history
• Social media posts, photos, and updates
• Any other mobile app data that can track location history
• Written statements from other witnesses

*Please note that the above examples are not an exhaustive list, and it is important to be accurate and truthful with anything you submit.

After submitting your response to USADA or applicable Results Management Authority, you generally can expect to hear back within a couple of weeks. Any questions you have about the review process can be directed to whomever you submitted your response to.

You can also refer to Annex B of the International Standards for Results Management to learn more about the Results Management process. For potential whereabouts failures where USADA is the Results Management Authority, you can also refer to USADA’s Whereabouts Policy for USADA specific information.  

If you are considering seeking legal counsel to assist you with a potential Whereabouts Failure, the Athlete Ombuds Office is available to help you think through your options, including the relative value of engaging with an attorney for your situation. You can also find a list of attorneys on our website that have indicated that they have experience representing athletes in anti-doping cases, whom you can research and contact directly to determine if they are a good fit for you and your situation.

Legal Aid is available to eligible Team USA athletes. Learn more about the Athlete Legal Aid program here.

Athletes should refer to the Retirement information (Section 20) of the USADA Protocol and USADA’s Retirement Webpage before making any decisions about retirement. A few key notes related to retirement and reinstatement:

• If you retire while under a period of ineligibility, you must still serve your period of ineligibility after reinstatement prior to returning to sport. (See the Ineligibility section of the USADA Protocol)
• The number of Whereabouts Failures an athlete has at the time of retirement are tolled. If an athlete returns from retirement, they will have that number of Whereabouts Failures (See B.1.4 of the ISRM)
• In accordance with Article 5.6 of the Code, any athlete who retires from sport while included in the RTP/CAP must make themself available for testing by giving 6 months prior written notice to USADA, along with the relevant IF and NGB(s) prior to returning to active participation in sport at the International or National level and must comply with all USADA whereabouts requirements.
• Athletes can request an exemption to this 6-month waiting period through WADA and IF, and at their discretion, they can grant exemptions in cases where the strict application of the rule would be unfair to an athlete.

If you have questions about retirement or reinstatement, Team USA athletes may contact our office at  ombudsman@usathlete.org or USADA directly.