2025 PDGA Pro Disc Golf World Championships WADA Testing Notification

Update on WADA Testing at 2025 Pro Worlds

Dear Pro Worlds Registrants and Waitlisters,

We know many of you have questions about Pro Worlds and the potential for anti-doping measures to take place at the event. This email contains more specific details so that you can make informed decisions leading up to this landmark tournament. We will start with details about anti-doping in Finland, then explain why this information was not shared earlier.

First, the PDGA cannot overrule the duty of a national association to comply with their country’s anti-doping requirements. Therefore, the PDGA’s current position is to honor anti-doping requirements in affiliate countries that have such programs. If there is testing at the event, it will be initiated and administered by the Finnish Center for Integrity in Sports (FINCIS). FINCIS is the national anti-doping agency for Finland and is associated with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA is the recognized authority established to promote doping-free sport worldwide.

• The FINCIS list of prohibited substances and methods distinguishes between those prohibited at all times and those prohibited “in-competition,” meaning between 11:59pm the day prior to the first day of competition and the conclusion of competition. A third category, those prohibited in specific sports, does not apply to disc golf.
• Please check your nutritional supplements. These can and have resulted in players testing positive for banned substances before.
• A positive test will not result in removal from the event, but it may result in post-event consequences levied by FINCIS and the Finnish National Association. For example:
  • a test indicating the use of anabolic steroids could result in a four-year suspension.
  • a test indicating in-competition use of THC could result in a three-month suspension.
• Refusing to test will result in FINCIS and the Finnish National Association levying a four-year suspension on the refusing player.
• By default, penalties issued by national associations are recognized by PDGA under the PDGA Disciplinary Policy & Process (see IV.B.4.e, Class D5 offenses). Players can appeal these penalties to the PDGA Board of Directors by following the procedures outlined in section VI of the Disciplinary Policy & Process.
• For the purposes of this event, the PDGA will automatically treat such penalties as being under appeal. Players must still provide statements within thirty (30) days as to why the Board should reduce or overturn the penalty.

Second, if you have been prescribed a prohibited substance by your physician to treat a medical condition, do not stop taking your prescribed medication. Instead, prepare for the possibility that you may need to file a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) after the event. We urge anyone in that position to familiarize themselves with the TUE process.

Disc golf is not a sport that requires players to file a TUE with FINCIS in advance. You will not have to file a TUE prior to competition. However, if you believe you may need to file a TUE for any reason, it would be beneficial to have one prepared ahead of time. 

• If you are selected for testing, you should submit the requested sample and file a retroactive TUE after the competition as soon as you’re able to do so.
• Common medicines that may contain banned substances include asthma medications and ADHD medications, as well as some cold and cough medicines (for example, those containing pseudoephedrine or ephedrine).

Third, one class of substances banned in-competition is cannabinoids (except CBD). The amount of time that cannabinoids stay in the body and in what concentration is highly variable and depends on the person, dosage, and method of consumption. The Finnish National Association has informed us that the earlier players cease recreational usage prior to the start of competition, the better.

Finally, we owe you an explanation and an apology. Plainly and simply, we should have anticipated this potential outcome. However, after years of PDGA Major competition in Finland without anti-doping testing, we became complacent. We sincerely apologize for that failure on our part. We understand that this caused stress for many of you, and we deeply apologize for that as well.

Once it became clear that testing was a possibility, we immediately informed players via email that this was occurring in order to provide you with potentially critical information. We then set to work gathering more details, and we will continue to work to keep you informed as we learn more.

As our sport continues to grow internationally, we are designating staff to monitor and address potential anti-doping concerns and ensure we stay aligned with our players’ needs and global standards. This includes continuing education and training through WADA's Anti-Doping Education and Learning (ADEL) platform.

If you have any specific questions about what we’ve covered in this email, please contact [email protected]. All communications will be handled confidentially in consultation with medical professionals as needed.

We thank you in advance for your understanding as we continue to adapt to the growth of disc golf. We cannot wait to welcome you to Worlds in a few weeks.

Sincerely,

Doug Bjerkaas
Executive Director
Professional Disc Golf Association®

(This announcement was emailed to 2025 Pro Worlds registrants on July 2)

WADA Testing at 2025 Pro Worlds

The PDGA has recently been informed that any player, regardless of nationality, could be subject to anti-doping testing at the 2025 PDGA Pro Worlds event in Finland. We are alerting you to this possibility shortly after being given this information ourselves.

The PDGA recognizes that players in many countries are accustomed to the possibility of drug testing at leading disc golf events. However, in other countries, including the United States, this has not been the case to date. Consequently, we are advising you to prepare yourselves accordingly, as we all wish to avoid an unfortunate incident at Pro Worlds. Such an incident could have a serious impact on both a noncompliant disc golf athlete as an individual and on our sport as a whole.

The WADA protocol tests for many substances, including cannabinoids. Prevailing medical knowledge is that a urine test can detect cannabinoids for up to 30 days after use. As of Friday, June 27, the event is 33 days from tee-off. The complete protocol, including the list of banned substances, can be found here: https://www.wada-ama.org/en/what-we-do/world-anti-doping-code.

WADA has created the Anti-Doping Education and Learning platform (ADEL). ADEL is a comprehensive learning platform that provides resources for anti-doping education. We encourage you to visit ADEL to learn more about banned substances.

(This announcement was emailed to 2025 Pro Worlds registrants on June 27)