IHF Anti-Doping Rules 2025
International Handball Federation Anti-Doping Rules, edition of 14 February 2025.
| Adoption | 14 February 2025 — International Handball Federation |
| Basis | World Anti-Doping Code and its associated International Standards |
| Status | Current version — supersedes the edition of 1 January 2021 |
What these regulations govern
The IHF Anti-Doping Rules are set out in 24 articles and follow the structure of the World Anti-Doping Code: the definition of doping, anti-doping rule violations, proof, the Prohibited List, sample collection and investigations, analysis of samples, results management, hearings, sanctions and their consequences for teams, education, and the obligations of national federations, players and support personnel.
Key changes in this editionChanges from the edition of 1 January 2021
- Transfer of first-instance proceedings to the CAS Anti-Doping DivisionThis is the most significant structural change in this edition: a case previously heard by the IHF Disciplinary Panel is now referred to the Anti-Doping Division of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS ADD). That Division's procedural rules govern, it issues the reasoned decision, and the IHF notifies it to the player and to the other organisations holding a right of appeal and records it in ADAMS.
- Provisional suspension and contaminated productsA player asserting that the violation relates to a contaminated product must establish that assertion before the CAS Anti-Doping Division. A decision of that Division not to lift a mandatory provisional suspension on that basis is not subject to appeal. An optional provisional suspension may be lifted by the IHF at any time before the decision is issued.
- Substances of abuseWhere the violation relates to a substance of abuse and the player satisfies the conditions of Article 10.2.4.1, a reduced period of ineligibility applies; these substances and methods are mostly those used for a purpose other than the enhancement of sport performance.
- Waiver of the hearingIf the player or other person waives the right to a hearing, no hearing before the Anti-Doping Division is required.
- Scope of application based on recognised competitionsThe application of these Rules to players is tied to the list of recognised international competitions in Appendix 1 of the Player Eligibility Charter.
Who this document matters to
For a player facing an adverse analytical finding, the change of hearing body is a fundamental change in the conduct of the defence: the case is brought outside the federation from the very first instance and before the CAS Anti-Doping Division, under that Division's procedural rules and time limits.
The IHF Legal Regulations, in the edition of 21 December 2025, likewise state this jurisdiction expressly and have removed the adjudication of doping violations from the list of matters falling to the Disciplinary Commission.