As part of its continuing commitment to clean sport, the Western States Endurance Run (WSER) has partnered with the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) to provide anti-doping services at the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run (the Run), including sample collection and analysis services, results management, adjudication, and sanctions management.
Entry Rules
- Any athlete who has been found to have committed a doping offense at any competition or out of competition by World Athletics, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), or any national sports federation, shall be ineligible to enter the Run during the period of their ineligibility from competition.
- Any athlete who has been subject to a ban from competition of three months or more by one of the above-mentioned federations or agencies, shall be ineligible to enter the Run unless otherwise agreed to by WSER.
Testing
While WSER reserves the right to select any entrant for testing, the goal will be to test athletes from the elite men and women’s fields, including top age group competitors. Anyone selected for testing will be subject to post-race urine and/or blood testing and may be subject to additional follow-up testing for up to ninety (90) days.
USADA is responsible for sample collection and analysis services, including athlete interviews, documentation, and the shipping and handling of samples. See USADA’s Sample Collection Process page for more information.
Prohibited Substances
The anti-doping rules for the Run are set forth in the USADA Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing (USADA Protocol). Athletes must comply with the World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code) and are prohibited from using the substances and methods on the WADA Prohibited List.
Strict Liability Applies. Athletes are responsible for 1) knowing what substances are prohibited, and 2) any substance found in their body, regardless of how it got there or whether there was any intent to cheat or violate anti-doping rules.
Check Your Medications. Use Global DRO to check whether any generic or name brand medications you’re taking contain a prohibited substance.
Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs). If you are taking a medication for an illness or condition that contains a prohibited substance, you will need to see if you are eligible for a TUE, or medical exemption. All athletes will be treated as Recreational Athletes and can apply for a TUE retroactively. The only exception is athletes who qualify as an International-Level Athlete or National-Level Athlete under USADA’s TUE Policy. See USADA’s Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) page for more information.
Dietary and Nutritional Supplement Use. Dietary and nutritional supplements are not regulated and pose considerable risk of positive drug test results due to contamination and inaccurate labeling. If you choose to use supplements despite the known risks, USADA recommends using only those certified by a third-party program that tests for substances prohibited in sport. See Supplement Connect, USADA’s dietary supplement safety education resource, for more information.
Results Management
USADA is responsible for results management, including communications with athletes regarding test results, investigation and adjudication of any anti-doping rule violations, and sanctions. Learn more about the results management process from USADA’s Results Management page.
Anti-Doping Rule Violation
USADA Sanctions. Any athlete found to have committed an anti-doping violation will be sanctioned by USADA in accordance with USADA Protocol and the WADA Code.
WSER Sanctions. WSER shall have the right to impose its own sanctions on any athlete found to have committed an anti-doping violation, including the removal of the person’s name and finishing time from the official results and requiring the person to return awards including their finisher’s buckle.
FAQS And Resources
All questions regarding the anti-doping program should be directed to USADA which provides the following educational and other resources for athletes.
Questions about Testing? Contact USADA’s Athlete Services Team at AthleteConnect@USADA.org or call (719) 785-2000. Check USADA’s Anti-Doping 101 for answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about drug testing.
Question about TUEs? Submit an application online to USADA’s Drug Reference Department to find out whether you need to file a TUE pre-event or retroactively for any medication you are taking.
Questions about Specific Products, Substances, or Methods? Check USADA’s Substance page, contact USADA’s Drug Reference Line at drugreference@USADA.org, or call (719) 785-2000.
Additional Resources. USADA’s Publications and Policies has information to help athletes understand their anti-doping responsibilities, including USADA’s testing program, the WADA Code, the WADA Prohibited List, the International Standards, TUEs, and the sample collection process.
Effective April 2, 2024
