Therapeutic Use Exemptions

If you have an illness or condition that requires a medication containing a substance that is on the Prohibited List, a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) may be granted that enables you to take the medication without committing a Doping Offence.

A TUE is a certificate granted by the IGF (for athletes participating in IGF events as listed in the IGF Anti-Doping Policy), a National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) for national-level athletes and a Major Event Organiser (MEO) (eg the International Olympic Committee) for athletes participating in an MEO event. The certificate is for a set prohibited substance, in certain dosages, with a limited period of validity. An application for a TUE must be based on a documented medical condition and diagnosis and the TUE will only be granted under strict criteria laid out in the International Standard of TUEs.

Athletes must absolutely avoid taking a medication with a prohibited substance without a valid TUE.

The presence of a prohibited substance or its metabolites or markers in an athlete’s sample without a valid TUE is an Anti-Doping Rule Violation (ADRV), as are the use or attempted use of a prohibited substance or a prohibited method, possession, administration or attempted administration.

Athletes must therefore consult the Prohibited List with their prescribing physician before taking a medication to ensure that no prohibited substance is contained in the medication needed.

An Athlete whose illness or condition requires treatment with a prohibited substance or method must apply for a TUE following the IGF TUE application process which can be found here.

The IGF TUE application form can be found here.

Each TUE application will be carefully evaluated by the IGF Therapeutic Use Exemption Committee and will only be granted in accordance with the International Standard for TUEs and the criteria laid out in article 4 of this standard. If the TUE is granted, the athlete will then be permitted to use the medication during the period of validity of the TUE without committing an Anti-Doping Rules Violation (ADRV).

Regardless of whether a TUE has been granted or not, athletes should always declare on the doping control forms filled out during sample collection any medications and supplements taken within the seven days prior to sample collection, and any blood transfusions in the three months prior for blood samples.

Athletes can also refer to the IGF Anti-Doping Medication Check for further information about taking medication.

In accordance with Article 4.4.2.1 of the IGF Anti-Doping Policy, Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE) that have been issued in line with the criteria set out in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions by the National Anti-Doping Organisations from the countries as listed in the document IGF Automatic Recognition of TUEs, will automatically be recognised by the International Golf Federation (IGF) for the purposes of a Player’s participation in an IGF International Event as listed in the IGF Anti-Doping Policy. The Player should contact the IGF (antidoping@igfmail.org) to request automatic recognition of their TUE.