Authorisation for treatment

The athlete may be ill or have a condition that requires medication or procedures. If an Athlete is administered a drug or method that is on the Prohibited List of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the LVG may authorise the Athlete to use the substance or method (in training and competition) without violating the Anti-Doping Rules and without sanction. Applications for an LVG shall be considered and decided by a Treatment Authorisation Committee (TAC) composed of medical professionals and approved by the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO).

The NADO LVG is valid only for national level competitions and not for competition testing.

All four criteria must be met in order to be eligible for an LVG (see WADA for more details) International Standard for the Authorisation of Therapies Article 4(2)):

An athlete subject to anti-doping rules needs an LVG to use a prohibited substance or method. The Athlete should check with the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency to find out where to apply and whether it is possible to apply retroactively.

First, check whether the medication or method you need to take or use is prohibited under the WADA Prohibited Substances and Methods List:

• Prohibited list
• Search for medicines

You must inform your doctor(s) that you are an athlete and must comply with the anti-doping rules. You and your doctor(s) should check a list of prohibited substances for any material/method prescribed to you. If the substance/method is prohibited, discuss non-prohibited alternatives, if not, seek LVG. Remember that it is the athlete's personal responsibility to ensure that no prohibited substance enters his/her system. If you have difficulties, please contact Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency LVG@antidopingas.lt .

Contact the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency to determine your level of participation in the competition and the requirements for issuing an LVG.

If you are found to be a national-level athlete, [National-level Athlete means an Athlete who competes at the national level as defined by each National Anti-Doping Organisation in accordance with the International Standard for Testing and Analysis. National-level Athletes in Lithuania are defined as Lithuanian Anti-Doping Rules in the Introduction (under "Scope of these Anti-Doping Rules")], you must contact the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency in advance whenever you need to do so, unless there are critical or exceptional circumstances.

For substances that are prohibited during the competition, you must submit a request to the LVG at least 30 days before the next competition. See below "How to submit an LVG application to the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency for the issuance of an LVG"

If you are found not to be a national-level athlete and are classified as an "amateur athlete" [amateur athletes, i.e. persons who participate in sport or fitness activities for leisure or recreational purposes, but who do not participate in sports organised by a national federation, an affiliated or non-affiliated association, a club, a team or a league, recognized or organized competitions or events and who have not been an International-Level Athlete (as defined by each International Federation (IF) in accordance with the International Standard for Testing and Analysis) or a National-Level Athlete (as defined by the Agency or other National Anti-Doping Organization in accordance with the International Standard for Testing and Assessment) during the five (5) year period preceding the occurrence of any anti-doping rule violation; did not represent Lithuania or any other country in the Open Category at an International Event; and were not included on the Registered List of Athletes to be Tested or any other whereabouts information list of any IO, the Agency or any other National Anti-Doping Organisation], you have the right to submit an LVG request retroactively after you have been tested by the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency or any other Anti-Doping Organisation.

Important: The LVG granted by the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency is valid only at national level. If you become an athlete at international level or participate in an international event, the LVG will no longer be valid unless recognised by the relevant International Federation (IF) or International Event Organiser (IO).

You are responsible for verifying whether an LVG issued by the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency is automatically recognised as a TF or TRO.

The Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency can assist you in determining your level as an Athlete and, if necessary, in submitting a Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency-issued LVG for recognition as a TF or TRO. Contact LVG@antidopingas.lt

You may submit a retroactive LVG request to the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency if:

 (a) urgent or emergency treatment is necessary for the illness;

(b) insufficient time, lack of opportunity or other exceptional circumstances which prevented you from submitting your application in time LVGor assess it before sampletakeover;

c) You were not required to obtain an LVG under the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Rules or there was no requirement to apply for an LVG in advance;

d) You are not International or national-level athlete, and you are not under the jurisdiction of an International Federation or National Anti-Doping Agency, but a Sample has been collected;

(e) your positive sample result was due to a prohibited materialsbanned for consumptiononly during competitionsand you used it treatmentfor the purposes of non-competitive (e.g. glucocorticosteroids).

 In exceptional circumstances, and notwithstanding any other conditions of this International Standard for the Issuance of an LAG, you may retrospectively apply for authorisation to use a prohibited substance or method for treatment and your request may be granted if it would be manifestly unfair not to issue the LVG retrospectively, having regard to the purpose of the Code.

Such a unique retroactive LVG request may be issued with the prior approval of WADA (WADA has the discretion to approve or reject the decision of the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency).

 Important informationA: Using a prohibited substance or method without an LVG may constitute an anti-doping rule violation.

If you need to submit a retrospective request for an LVG after sampling, we strongly recommend that you have all your medical information ready and prepared to submit it for assessment.

Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency Encourages the submission of LVG claims via ADAMS, together with all medical records. If you do not have an ADAMS account, please contact LVG@antidopingas.lt for its creation.

Otherwise, please send the LVG application form, duly completed and signed, with all medical records, to the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency at the following address LVG@antidopingas.lt

The LVG application form can be downloaded here

Your LVG

Your LVG application must be submitted legibly, in block capitals, or in an electronic version by typing.

Medical records must include:

• a full medical history, including primary documentation from the diagnosing doctor(s) (if possible),
• All the tests carried out - laboratory, instrumental and radiological results - have an impact on the LVG claim.

[Please provide information relating to the costs incurred, if any, in submitting the LVG claim or in ordering additional tests, i.e. the athlete is responsible for any additional medical information attached in relation to additional tests, etc.]

Any incomplete or illegible LVG application will not be considered and will be returned for completion and resubmission.

To help you and your doctor submit the correct medical documentation, we suggest that you consult WADA's LVG Application Supplementary Information, which can be found on the WADA website https://www.wada-ama.org by typing in the search box "Checklist"or access the information that has been produced on LVG claiming for certain conditions or treatments by following this link Checklists for TUE applications

Keep a copy of the LVG application and all the medical information that came with your application and proof that it was sent.

Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency LVG Issuance Committee (LVG IC) must take a decision on the application as soon as possible, normally within 21 days of receipt of the full LVG application, including the necessary medical information.

Each LVG is fixed-term and expires automatically. If you continue to need to use a prohibited substance or method, you must submit a new LVG application with updated medical information before the expiry date of the LVG you have been issued, to give you enough time to make a decision before you start using the medicine.

Important note: The presence (after sampling), use, possession or consumption of a prohibited substance or method must be in accordance with the terms of your LVG. Therefore, if you require a substantially different dose, frequency, route or duration of administration, you should contact Lithuanian Anti-Doping AgencySome substances and doses, such as insulin, are often modified during treatment, and these possible variations should be mentioned by the treating physician in the LVG request, and the ADO's LVGIK will usually assess this information.

You or the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency shall have 21 days to contact WADA for a review of the reasons for the notification of the refusal. You should send the same information that you provided to the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency and on which the LVGIK based its decision by secure online means or by registered mail to:

WADA Medical Department
World Anti-Doping Agency
Stock Exchange Tower
800 Place Victoria (Suite 1700)
P.O. Box 120
Montreal (Quebec) H4Z 1B7
Canada

The email address for enquiries and/or requests for review is: medical@wada-ama.org

Pending WADA's decision, the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency's LVG remains valid only for national level competitions and out-of-competition tests. If the matter is not referred to WADA, the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency shall determine whether the original LVG granted should be valid for national level competition and non-competitive testing.

All information contained in the LVG application, including supporting medical information, and all other information relevant to the assessment of your LVG application is strictly confidential and will be treated in accordance with the Athlete Declaration in the ADAMS LVG Process and the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency's LVG Application Form. All members of the LVG IC and other authorised recipients of your LVG application and related information (as described in the Athlete Declaration Form) shall be subject to professional or contractual confidentiality obligations.

Please read the terms of the Athlete Declaration carefully. In particular, please note that if you wish to waive the right of the LAG IC of the Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency to receive information related to your LAG request under the Athlete Declaration, your LAG request will be deemed to be waived without confirmation.

The Lithuanian Anti-Doping Agency and any other authorised recipients will retain information relating to the LVG request for no longer than is necessary for the purposes stated in the Athlete's declaration, in accordance with the International Standard for the Protection of Privacy and Personal Information.