Anti-Doping Rules in Poland: An Overview
Poland is one of the countries where Ukrainian athletes most often move to train and compete, and Polish tournaments in various sports are widely open to foreigners. That is why understanding the local anti-doping system is a practical necessity, not a formality. The editorial team has prepared an overview of how doping control in Poland is organized, who is responsible for it and what consequences the legislation provides.
The legal basis: from the WADA Code to Polish law
Poland's anti-doping system, like that of other European countries, is built on several levels. At the international level it is the World Anti-Doping Code of WADA and its international standards, as well as two international agreements that Poland has ratified: the Council of Europe Anti-Doping Convention of 1989 and the UNESCO International Convention against Doping in Sport of 2005.
The national level is defined by the Law on Combating Doping in Sport (Ustawa o zwalczaniu dopingu w sporcie) of 21 April 2017. It created the Polish Anti-Doping Agency (POLADA) as an independent state institution to replace the previously operating Commission for Combating Doping in Sport, and enshrined the main rules of anti-doping activity.
An important feature of the Polish model is the combination of sports-disciplinary and criminal-law mechanisms. For the athlete themselves, a violation of anti-doping rules usually entails sports sanctions, while criminal liability is provided primarily for those who administer prohibited substances to others under certain circumstances, in particular to minors.
The list of prohibited substances and methods is not compiled separately in Poland: the current WADA Prohibited List is applied, which is updated every year and takes effect on 1 January. Therefore, for an athlete, the currency of information about a specific substance must always be checked against the latest edition of the list.
- International level:the WADA Code, international standards, the Prohibited List.
- Conventions:the Council of Europe (1989) and UNESCO (2005).
- National level:the 2017 law, POLADA rules, pharmaceutical legislation.
- Sports level:the rules of national and international federations.
POLADA: who conducts control and how
The Polish Anti-Doping Agency is responsible for planning and conducting doping control in the country, results management, educational programs and cooperation with WADA, international federations and other national agencies. It is a signatory of the WADA Code, and therefore its rules must conform to international standards.
Testing is conducted both during competitions and out of competition. Out-of-competition control can take place at any time and in any location, so athletes in the registered testing pool are obliged to submit whereabouts information through the ADAMS system. Three missed tests or filing errors within 12 months are considered a violation of anti-doping rules.
POLADA reviews therapeutic use exemption (TUE) requests for national-level athletes. If an athlete needs a medication from the prohibited list for medical reasons, permission must, as a rule, be obtained in advance. International-level athletes submit the request to their international federation.
The 2017 law also provided for separate disciplinary bodies within the agency — a first-instance disciplinary panel and an appeals panel. They hear cases of anti-doping rule violations, which allows the investigation function to be separated from decision-making.
In addition to control, the agency conducts educational work: training programs for athletes, coaches and doctors, consultations on medications and dietary supplements. For a foreigner competing in Poland, this is a useful source of information, although responsibility for what is used remains with the athlete themselves.
The procedure: from the test to the decision
The doping-control procedure in Poland conforms to WADA's International Standard for Testing and Investigations. The athlete is notified of the selection, after which they must appear at the doping-control station at the set time, under the supervision of an officer. They have the right to a representative, and minors mandatorily so.
When filling out the protocol, the athlete lists the medications and supplements they have taken recently. This is an important detail: complete and honest information may matter in the event of a subsequent hearing. A copy of the protocol must be kept.
Samples are analyzed exclusively by WADA-accredited laboratories — in Poland or beyond, depending on the decision of the organization conducting the testing. In the event of an adverse analytical finding, the athlete is notified and their rights are explained, in particular the right to demand the opening and analysis of sample B.
For some substances, after a positive sample A, a mandatory provisional suspension is provided until the case is heard. The athlete has the right to be heard, to present evidence, to use the assistance of a lawyer, and also to appeal the decision. The final instance in international-level cases is usually the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in Lausanne.
Sanctions and criminal liability
Sports sanctions in Poland are determined under the WADA Code. The base period of disqualification for the presence or use of a prohibited substance is four years, if the violation is deemed intentional or the substance does not belong to the “specified” category. If the athlete proves the absence of intent, the period may be shortened, and with proven absence of significant fault, reduced even further.
| Type of consequence | Whom it concerns | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| Disqualification, annulment of results | Athletes, personnel | POLADA disciplinary panels, federations, CAS |
| Loss of state stipends and funding | National team athletes | Sports and state bodies |
| Criminal liability under the 2017 law | Persons who administer prohibited substances to others under circumstances defined by law (in particular to minors) | The court |
| Liability for illegal trafficking of medications | Any persons | The court, under pharmaceutical and criminal legislation |
The 2017 law provided for criminal liability for the most socially dangerous acts related to doping — primarily for administering prohibited substances to minor athletes or without the athlete's knowledge. Unlike Germany, Poland did not introduce general criminal liability for the athlete themselves for the use of doping.
Pharmaceutical legislation applies separately. The circulation of medicinal products outside the established procedure, in particular trade in prescription drugs without authorization, is prosecuted regardless of whether it is connected with sport. Anabolic steroids in Poland are prescription medicinal products, and their illegal sale may entail criminal liability.
Sanctions also concern support personnel: coaches, doctors, masseurs. Under the WADA Code, cooperation with a person under disqualification can also become a violation for the athlete.
What foreign athletes should know
When competing at events in Poland, a foreign athlete falls under the jurisdiction of the anti-doping rules in force at those events. A test may be conducted by POLADA, by an international federation, or by the athlete's national agency. Refusal or evasion of testing is in itself a serious violation.
If you permanently live and train in Poland but belong to your country's testing pool, it is critically important to update your whereabouts information in a timely manner. Relocation and a change of address are a common cause of missed tests.
A therapeutic use exemption obtained in Ukraine is not always automatically recognized for competitions of another level. Before participating in international tournaments, it is worth checking whether the relevant international federation recognizes your TUE.
Be careful with medications and supplements bought locally. The composition of preparations with the same trade name may differ across countries, and dietary supplements may be contaminated with prohibited substances. Under the WADA Code, the principle of strict liability applies: the athlete is responsible for any prohibited substance in their sample.
Editorial conclusions
Poland's anti-doping system is based on the WADA Code and the 2017 law, which created the independent POLADA agency and separate disciplinary panels.
For an athlete, the main consequences of a violation are sporting: disqualification of up to four years and more, annulment of results. Criminal liability is aimed mainly at those who administer doping to others, in particular minors, and at the illegal circulation of medications.
Foreigners in Poland should be especially careful in tracking whereabouts, TUEs and the composition of medications and supplements.
We also recommend reading our materials on anti-doping rules in Germany, on the legal status of anabolic steroids in EU countries, and on liability for importing prescription drugs into Ukraine.
References
- World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code 2021. Montreal: WADA; 2021.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List. Montreal: WADA; оновлюється щорічно.
- Ustawa z dnia 21 kwietnia 2017 r. o zwalczaniu dopingu w sporcie. Dziennik Ustaw. 2017.
- Ustawa z dnia 6 września 2001 r. Prawo farmaceutyczne. Dziennik Ustaw. 2001.
- Council of Europe. Anti-Doping Convention (ETS No. 135). Strasbourg; 1989.
- UNESCO. International Convention against Doping in Sport. Paris; 2005.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions. Montreal: WADA; 2023.
Andriy Melnyk
A strength-sports coach and author of programs for beginner and intermediate levels. Writes about training planning.
