There is no limit to the number of doping tests an athlete can undergo. This means an athlete can be notified to provide a sample at any time — even if a previous doping control was conducted recently.
The planning of athlete testing is a complex and confidential process that takes into account several key factors:
- Sport-specific risks (for example, endurance sports often carry a higher risk of using certain prohibited substances that enhance stamina);
- Athletic period — whether it is the competition or out-of-competition season;
- An athlete’s individual and team performance achievements;
- Intelligence and information received by anti-doping organizations that may directly or indirectly indicate a potential anti-doping rule violation.
An athlete competing at the international level may be tested by multiple anti-doping organizations and even subjected to several tests in a single day. Each testing requirement issued by an anti-doping organization with jurisdiction over the athlete is mandatory. Refusal to comply may be considered an anti-doping rule violation and lead to disqualification.
Even an athlete serving a period of disqualification can be tested. If their sample returns positive, it may result in an extension of their sanction.