French Sports Code

On the occasion of an international sports event, the French Anti-Doping Agency may: 1° At the request of the international sports organisation responsible for the event, carry out tests at the event site on behalf of this organisation. It may also take additional samples or ask the laboratory responsible for analysing them to carry out additional types of analysis. It informs the international organisation of this; 2° After obtaining the…

Any person who is subject to a suspension by virtue of a decision pronounced by an anti-doping organisation signatory to the World Anti-Doping Code or by the competent body hearing an appeal against such a decision, as well as any person who has accepted such a suspension, shall be prohibited from participating in competitions and events and from exercising the functions and activities mentioned in 2° of I of Article…

Analyses of samples taken by the French Anti-Doping Agency are carried out, under conditions laid down by decree in the Conseil d’Etat, by any laboratory designated for this purpose by the Agency and accredited or approved by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The Agency also carries out research activities.

When the Secretary General of the Agence française de lutte contre le dopage decides to carry out the investigations mentioned in 3° of I of article L. 232-5, he shall authorise the investigators in accordance with the procedures laid down by decision of the College.

The investigators of the French Anti-Doping Agency may have recourse, for the purposes of an ongoing investigation, to experts registered on a list of legal experts, to the persons mentioned in article L. 232-11 or to competent persons or authorities. These persons may receive remuneration from the French Anti-Doping Agency in accordance with the terms and conditions laid down by decision of the College. The Secretary General of the French…

In the context of the investigations mentioned in articles L. 232-5 and L. 232-18-1, professional secrecy may not be invoked against the French Anti-Doping Agency and its investigators or, where applicable, against the persons or authorities mentioned in article L. 232-18-2, when they are assisting the French Anti-Doping Agency, except by court officers.

For the purposes of the investigation, the investigators may: 1° Obtain any documents, whatever their medium; 2° Summon and interview any person likely to be able to provide them with information. These interviews are recorded in minutes signed by the investigators and the persons interviewed; 3° Gain access to premises used for professional purposes, to any place where training or an event mentioned in article L. 230-3 is taking place…

For the sole purpose of investigating or establishing the violations and breaches mentioned in 3° of I of article L. 232-5, gathering evidence and tracking down the perpetrators or gathering information useful for targeting controls, investigators may, if they have been specially authorised to do so by the Secretary General of the Agency, use an assumed identity on any electronic communication medium or any online public communication service.

Any person summoned or heard, including during the explanations provided for in 3° of article L. 232-18-4, has the right to be assisted by counsel of his choice.

The liberty and custody judge of the judicial court within whose jurisdiction the premises to be visited are located or the liberty and custody judge of the judicial court provided for by the decree referred to in I of article 706-2 of the Code of Criminal Procedure may, at the reasoned request of the Secretary General of the French Anti-Doping Agency, authorise by order the Agency’s investigators to carry out…