11. Doping and Consequences (art. 49-51)

doping policy in Sierre-Zinal: 

• The race management has tightened the race rules regarding doping. This has been accepted by all participants.
• Sierre-Zinal has been fighting against all forms of doping for many years by systematically ordering doping tests (WADA) for the "Runner" category. The doping controls (WADA) will be maintained in collaboration with the World Mountain Running Association (WMRA), by World Athletics.
• Each invited athlete shall sign a legally valid contract with the organizers to participate in Sierre-Zinal. In the event of proven doping, the athlete in question is obliged under the terms of art. 143 of the Swiss Code of Obligations (CO) to reimburse the Sierre-Zinal Association in full for the Premiums received and for Accommodation Costs.
• Coaches, managers and teams shall be jointly and severally liable in the event of legal proceedings against their athlete(s). They themselves will have to reimburse in full the Prizes and Accommodation Costs to the Sierre-Zinal Association if their athlete(s) cannot meet them.
• All participants who have tested positive during a doping control at Sierre-Zinal, as well as participants who have raced at Sierre-Zinal under a concealed provisional suspension, will not be invited anymore in Sierre-Zinal in the future.

Art. 49 Doping

Each participant in the Sierre-Zinal Race undertakes :

• To submit to all urine and/or blood and/or capillary and/or saliva sampling and associated tests within 30 days before the day of the Sierre-Zinal Race and up to 15 days after the said race. It is understood that the costs inherent in the taking of these samples and associated tests are to be borne directly by the Organizers;
• To comply with the updated list of prohibitions from the World Anti-Doping Code;
• To accept to answer any summons from the Organizers on the spot or at a distance (telephone or video conference) in order to discuss their aptitude to participate or not in the competition or their possible downgrading after the competition;
• To transmit in a legible way any anti-doping test form carried out within 30 days before the beginning of the competition and up to 15 days after the competition;
• To communicate spontaneously to the Organizers any anti-doping proceedings initiated against them by any national anti-doping agency or by an international anti-doping body as well as any provisional or definitive suspension affecting them and which is not known to the public or to the Organizers;
• To agree to the use of the data concerning them, solely for research purposes and in a strictly anonymous manner. Each participant has the right to access, rectify and object to their data, which they may exercise towards the Organizers (see also Art. 54 Data protection).

Any unreasonable failure, refusal or transmission of incorrect information in connection with doping controls in general may lead to disqualification from the competition.

Art. 50 Proven Doping Case

If a participant is found to be doping as a result of a positive test carried out three months before or after the Sierre-Zinal Race, or on the occasion of the Sierre-Zinal Race, for which the said participant has been convicted by a decision that has come into force, or if the results of a participant in the Sierre-Zinal Race are subsequently annulled by virtue of a sanction imposed by the anti-doping authorities for the period including the Sierre-Zinal Race, or if the participant in the Sierre-Zinal Race was not supposed to participate in the said race because they were under provisional suspension, the participant will be considered as doping ("Case of Proven Doping") and will be disqualified from the Sierre-Zinal Race for the edition in question (Art. 45 Disqualification).

In addition, the Organizers shall be reimbursed by the doped participants for:

• All the prizes that the doped participant has received from the Organizers for the edition in question (place and time prizes, start prize or record prizes (see Art. 41 Place and time prizes, Art. 42 Start Prize and Art. 43 Record Prize);
• Accommodation, transport or any other costs that the Organizers has paid for the doped participant;
• The entry fee of CHF [95] if the participant was a guest runner.

The doped participant shall also pay compensation for administrative work and for the damage done to the image of the Sierre-Zinal Race, up to a maximum amount of CHF [100], at the discretion of the Organizers, who will consider all the circumstances of the case.

If the participant was represented or advised by an agent, a team manager or any other private person, or was part of a team with legal personality, the said agent, team manager, private person or team shall be jointly and severally liable for the reimbursement of the full amount set out in this provision.

Art. 51 Consequences of a Proven Doping Case

The Organizers reserve the discretionary right to issue a ban against a participant who has been subject to a Proven Doping Case (Art. 50 Proven Doping Case above) for a number of years.