NYRR Run Clean

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NYRR Run Clean

NYRR Run Clean Policy

Updated April 14, 2023

The NYRR Run Clean initiative celebrates the union of competition and individual achievement while working to ensure that runners compete in a healthy and fair environment. Through education, testing, and advocacy, the NYRR Run Clean initiative is committed to fostering a healthy environment for runners to compete on a level playing field.

Background

The TCS New York City Marathon is a Platinum Label World Athletics Road Race organized and directed under the rules and regulations of World Athletics and its Athletics Integrity Unit (AIU), which incorporate the anti-doping rules of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Code. The TCS New York City Marathon is also one of the six Abbott World Marathon Majors (AWMM) events. All other NYRR road races for adults are organized under the rules and regulations of USA Track & Field (USATF), which incorporate the anti-doping rules of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) Protocol for Olympic and Paralympic Movement Testing (the USADA Protocol), which also incorporates the WADA Code.

NYRR typically hosts dozens of races every year in which non-invitational fields of athletes qualify or otherwise register to compete (General Field Athletes). In addition, some of those races (including the United Airlines NYC Half, the Mastercard New York Mini 10K, the New Balance 5th Avenue Mile, the Abbott Dash to the Finish Line 5K, and the TCS New York City Marathon) have invitational fields in which professional athletes are invited to compete (Invitational Athletes).

Previously, this website discussed our Run Clean initiatives for Invitational Athletes. Those initiatives are in addition to (1) the anti-doping policies Invitational Athletes agree to when they accept the invitation to compete in the invitational fields of our races; and (2) the WADA and USADA anti-doping policies discussed in NYRR’s Run Clean Waiver agreed to by all athletes, including both Invitational Athletes and General Field Athletes. NYRR’s Run Clean policy requires, and historically has required, Invitational Athletes to follow additional rules in addition to the rules for General Field Athletes. NYRR can choose which athletes to invite to compete in its invitational professional fields, and in keeping with the AWMM, NYRR does not invite athletes who have ever had a doping violation to compete as Invitational Athletes. But consistent with the rules of World Athletics, USATF, WADA, and USADA, NYRR has not prohibited, and does not prohibit, athletes who are eligible to compete under those organizations’ rules from competing as General Field Athletes. We have updated this site to include the policies applicable to both General Field and Invitational Athletes and those that apply solely to Invitational Athletes.

History

NYRR is a leader in the global clean sport movement. Since 2002, NYRR has partnered with USADA and the AIU to test the professional athlete fields at NYRR events. Today, through continued testing for performance-enhancing drugs, athlete education, and the NYRR Run Clean policy, NYRR is working toward the day when everyone will run clean.

Since 2002, in-competition testing has been conducted on hundreds of Invitational Athletes, including wheelchair athletes, at more than 125 NYRR events, including the past 21 New York City Marathons, more than any other road race organizer.
Out-of-competition testing is also frequently carried out by USADA at NYRR events.
Since 2012, NYRR has partnered with USADA and the AIU on a robust out-of-competition (pre-race) testing program for professional athletes at the TCS New York City Marathon, gathering data for the biological passport program. Through this partnership, hundreds of samples have been collected.
Since 2016, NYRR has partnered with USADA to provide multiple anti-doping education sessions for athletes at NYRR events each year.
In 2017, NYRR introduced random testing of top finishers of General Field Athletes at selected weekly races.
Through the AWMM elite athlete testing pool, NYRR helps to fund and manage an unprecedented large-scale out-of-competition testing program of the top professional marathon runners from around the world.

Policy for All Athletes (General Field Athletes and Invitational Athletes)

NYRR is committed to clean sport at all levels and has developed policies designed to ensure that athletes compete in a healthy and fair environment at our NYRR races. All participants in NYRR's races must agree to NYRR's Run Clean Waiver and remain fully compliant with the applicable anti-doping rules of the WADA Code and the USADA Protocol.
All athletes may be subject to anti-doping testing at NYRR events and for up to ninety (90) days thereafter as may be needed for follow-up testing for any prohibited substance or method.
NYRR shall recognize and enforce any sanction imposed against any athlete by AIU, WADA, USADA, a national federation, or any national anti-doping agency or government (each of which is a Governing Body) that results from a violation of the applicable Governing Body’s anti-doping rules (the Anti-Doping Rules), regardless of whether such violation occurred during an NYRR event.
Any athlete (a) found by a relevant Governing Body to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule violation, (b) who tests positive for banned substances, or (c) who refuses to be tested, will be disqualified from the applicable NYRR event in which they participated or for which they were registered. Any such athlete also will be disciplined according to the applicable WADA Code or USADA Protocol and suspended, if appropriate, according to applicable World Athletics or USATF rules.

Additional Policy for Invitational Athletes Only

The professional fields of NYRR’s races are invitational events, and NYRR evaluates many different factors in choosing which athletes to invite to compete in those events. NYRR does not invite an athlete to compete in the professional fields of NYRR races if the athlete has ever been found by a Governing Body to have committed a doping offense and has ever been suspended from competition. Appeals are reviewed by the NYRR Race Director.
Annually, Invitational Athletes are required to attend an anti-doping session provided by USADA in connection with certain NYRR events.
Invitational Athletes must remain fully compliant with all applicable Anti-Doping Rules in any event in which the Invitational Athlete competes anywhere in the world.
In addition to in-competition testing at an NYRR event, Invitational Athletes may be subject to, and must comply with, formal out-of-competition drug testing in accordance with the applicable Anti-Doping Rules.
If an Invitational Athlete is found to have committed a criminal offense involving a substance banned by a Governing Body, or if an Invitational Athlete tests positive for banned substances, refuses to be tested, is found by a relevant Governing Body to have committed an Anti-Doping Rule violation, or if for any other reason an Invitational Athlete’s results in the applicable NYRR event are later nullified or struck out by a relevant Governing Body, the Invitational Athlete (a) will be disciplined according to the rules of the relevant Governing Body; (b) will be disqualified from, and forfeit all prize money for, any applicable NYRR event and any other benefits the Invitational Athlete may have received otherwise in connection with that NYRR event; and (c) will not be invited to compete as an Invitational Athlete in any future NYRR events.