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The IRB’s Out of Competition (OOC) Testing Programme includes a set number of Member Unions and their Players in both the 15s and 7s disciplines of the Game. All Players nominated to be part of the IRB’s OOC Testing Programme will be placed in either the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) or the Testing Pool (TP) and are required to provide whereabouts information to enable No Notice Out of Competition Testing to be conducted.

How do I know if I am in the RTP or TP?
What is whereabouts and what information must I provide?
Is there a daily 60 minute requirement for Testing Pool Players?
How will I know when the off season applies?
Where do I send my whereabouts information?
Who has access to my whereabouts information?
How often do I need to file my whereabouts?
What if I am selected to be in my NADO’s National RTP?
Can someone else file my whereabouts on my behalf?
How do I make changes to my whereabouts during the quarter?
What is a Whereabouts Failure?
Is there a difference between a Missed Test in the RTP and a Missed Test in the TP?
What are the consequences for three Whereabouts Failures?
Do my Whereabouts Failures expire?
What is the role of my Union or Club in relation to my whereabouts?
Do I have to stay in my designated or default 1 hour location for the full hour?
What if I retire from Rugby whilst I am part of a RTP or TP?
Where can I find more information?

1. How do I know if I am in the RTP or TP?

The IRB set the criteria for entry into the RTP and the TP. The TP is the IRB’s principle pool and contains Players from the top 20 teams involved in the Rugby World Cup, the 12 core sides involved in the IRB Sevens Series, and any other team or Player at the Board’s discretion. The RTP is considered a high risk pool made up mainly of Players serving periods of ineligibility, Players who have been elevated from the TP for committing 3 Whereabouts Failures in 18 months, and anyone else considered high risk at the Boards discretion. You will be notified by the IRB via your home Union as to which pool you are in and how and where to submit your whereabouts information.

2. What is whereabouts and what information must I provide?

Whereabouts is information provided by you or a nominated third party relating to your location on a daily basis which is then used by a Doping Control Officer (DCO) to locate you for testing with no advance notice. The information that must be provided for each day of the quarter includes:

The address where you are residing - which can include home, temporary lodgings, hotel or holiday accommodation;
A complete and accurate mailing address for any correspondence;
Training information including times and locations for both Club and National Squad training sessions and organised team activities;
Times and locations of other regular activities such as work or study;
Match or tournament schedules for both Club and National Team; and
RTP Players only: A daily 60 minute time slot and location between 6am and 11pm where you will be available for testing.

3. Is there a daily 60 minute requirement for Testing Pool Players?

Yes, however this only applies during your nominated off season or periods of injury/illness which results in you not participating in any scheduled Club or National Team activities. In these situations your whereabouts will automatically default to your nominated place of residence from 6-7am. You do not need to make any additional whereabouts filings unless you wish to change this time or location. Making changes to your whereabouts is outlined in Section 10.

4. How will I know when the off season applies?

Off season periods will differ from country to country due to the different playing seasons but will generally be a block period of time at the end of the playing season. Each Member Union involved in the IRB’s Out of Competition Testing Programme will be informed individually as to when the off season period applies to them and will notify their Players accordingly. If you return to Team Activity earlier than the specified off season then you should advise the IRB or your NADO (National Anti-Doping Organisation).

5. Where do I send my whereabouts information?

You will be advised by either the IRB or your NADO via your home Union as to how and where you are to submit your whereabouts information. For example your whereabouts may be filed on paper forms provided by (A) the IRB or your NADO via your home Union (B) via ADAMS or other electronic data base (if applicable) or (C) direct to your NADO.

The IRB will accept whereabouts submitted directly to a NADO where the IRB and the relevant NADO have an agreement in place. If no NADO exists or no agreement is in place then your whereabouts and any updates must be sent to the IRB via your home Union.

6. Who has access to my whereabouts information?

The whereabouts information you provide to the IRB, your home Union and/or NADO is treated as strictly confidential. It may however be shared with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and other Anti-Doping Organisations that have jurisdiction to test you under the strict condition that your information will only be used for Doping Control purposes.

7. How often do I need to file my whereabouts?

The IRB will request Player whereabouts via your home Union two weeks prior to the start of each quarter. The IRB quarters are as follows:

Quarter 1 - January 1 to March 31
Quarter 2 - April 1 to June 30
Quarter 3 - July 1 to September 30
Quarter 4 - October 1 to December 31

8. What if I am selected to be in my NADO’s National RTP?

If you are included in your NADO’s National RTP you will be required to submit your Rugby whereabouts (as outlined in Section 2) plus a daily 60 minute location to your NADO. Your NADO will advise you of your inclusion directly or via your home Union and any specific requirements regarding how, where and when to submit your whereabouts.

9. Can someone else file my whereabouts on my behalf?

Yes, you can delegate the responsibility for providing your whereabouts to a “third party” but you remain liable if it is not provided on time or is found to be inaccurate. Examples of where this may apply include weekly/monthly Club training and competition schedules which could be submitted by a Club representative, or your home Union submitting details of National Squad activity which may include training camps, matches, scheduled activities and/or tour itineraries including travel and accommodation arrangements.

10. How do I make changes to my whereabouts during the quarter?

You must update your whereabouts as soon as you become aware that you will not be available for testing at a particular location or time period specified. Updates may be provided to the IRB via your home Union, or directly to your NADO. The relevant organisation will advise you as to how any updates can be made.

If you are required to submit updates directly to the IRB please email update@irb.com and include your name, home Union and what the change of location, date or time is.

11. What is a Whereabouts Failure?

A Whereabouts Failure is either a Filing Failure when you do not submit your whereabouts by the due date, or a Missed Test when you cannot be located for testing based on the whereabouts information you provided.

12. Is there a difference between a Missed Test in the RTP and a Missed Test in the TP?

Yes, a Missed Test in the RTP is a failure by a Player to be available for testing at the location(s) and time specified in the 60 minute time slot.

A Missed Test in the TP is defined as an unsuccessful attempt(s) by the DCO to locate the Player at all the nominated whereabouts locations outlined in his Whereabouts Filing (visiting each location once) over or within any 24 hour period during the season or at the default or nominated one hour period during the off season or period of injury/illness.

If you are found to have committed a Missed Test in the TP then you may also be charged for the costs associated with the unsuccessful attempt to test you. In this case the IRB will submit an invoice to you via your home Union for payment of the fee which shall be €200 for each Missed Test.

13. What are the consequences for three Whereabouts Failures?

(a) Testing Pool - If you commit three Whereabouts Failures over an 18 month period within the TP you will be elevated into the RTP. You will then be required to submit your whereabouts with the addition of a daily 60 minute time slot and location. The Whereabouts Failures committed in the TP do not move with you if you are elevated into the RTP. You may be eligible to move back down into the TP if you do not commit any Whereabouts Failures for 3 consecutive quarters.

(b) Registered Testing Pool - Committing three Whereabouts Failures over an 18 month period within the RTP shall result in disciplinary proceedings against you for a possible Anti-Doping Rule Violation which carries a sanction of between one and two years.

14. Do my Whereabouts Failures expire?

Yes, each individual Whereabouts Failure shall expire after 18 months from the date it was committed irrespective of how many samples are successfully collected from a Player during that 18 month period. Whereabouts Failures automatically expire if a player is elevated into the RTP from the TP.

15. What is the role of my Union or Club in relation to my whereabouts?

(a) Your home Union will be the main contact point for the IRB and will identify the Players to be included in the IRB’s RTP or TP based on numbers and criteria specified by the IRB.
(b) Either your home Union or your Club can be nominated by you to file certain parts of your whereabouts on your behalf. In particular your home Union and Club will normally have the latest information regarding your Rugby activities. However, it is the Players responsibility to ensure all whereabouts information is accurate and provided by the deadlines specified and updated as required.
(c) Any errors or change of information which led to a Missed Test cannot be blamed on a 3rd party.
(d) Each Member Union of the IRB has an obligation under IRB Regulation 21 to assist the IRB in the various aspects of the IRB OOC Testing Programme. Failure to do so may result in disciplinary action against the Union.

16. Do I have to stay in my designated or default 1 hour location for the full hour?

Yes, if you want to avoid a Missed Test you should be available for testing for the whole 60 minutes. Therefore you should select a 60 minute time period and location where you will regularly be and that won’t require you to have to update this time slot on a daily basis.

17. What if I retire from Rugby whilst I am part of a RTP or TP?

You will need to notify your home Union in writing of your retirement from international Rugby. Once the IRB receive notice of your retirement you will be removed from whichever testing pool you are currently in.

18. Where can I find more information?

A full copy of the IRB Regulation 21 can be found here. The specific provisions relating to whereabouts is located within Section 21.10 of Regulation 21. Further anti-doping information and educational resources are also available on this website.

These Q & A’s are provided to assist Players and Member Unions involved in the IRB’s Out of Competition Testing Programme. In the event of any inconsistencies Regulation 21 shall take precedence.

If you have any further specific queries you should contact your home Union or the IRB direct on update@irb.com.