"Athlete Central", which will replace WADA's current app that has been operational for a few years and required modernising, has been released on the eve of the fifth World Conference on Doping in Sport, due to start here tomorrow. 

Whereabouts rules, which are a key component of global sport's crucial out-of-competition testing programmes, are part of the International Standard for Testing and Investigations. 

The rules require a limited number of top-level athletes within the registered testing pool (RTP) to provide their anti-doping organisation (ADO) with details of where they can be found for one hour every day.

Earlier this year, American sprinter Christian Coleman only avoided being charged with three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period, which could have led to a two-year ban, because of a technicality.

He ultimately won the 100 metres at the International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in Doha.

But Trinidad and Tobago's Commonwealth Games 100m champion Michelle-Lee Ahye is currently provisionally suspended for three alleged whereabouts failures and Russian biathlete Russian Margarita Vasileva has been banned for for 18 months for missing drugs tests.

"WADA is looking forward to launching Athlete Central, which will dramatically improve the athlete experience in complying with their whereabouts requirements under the global anti-doping programme," WADA director general Olivier Niggli said.

"It will be an easy, fast and secure way for athletes to provide their whereabouts to support out-of-competition testing and demonstrate their commitment to clean sport."

Prior to initiating development of Athlete Central, WADA's project team sought athlete feedback to better understand their needs. 

More than 2,500 responses were received which, WADA claim, have helped shape the app's specifications, powered by the Anti-Doping Administration & Management System (ADAMS).

Some ADO staff have been testing the app and a significant number of active athletes have been trialing it to file their whereabouts.

Among the benefits of the new app, it is claimed, is improved accuracy, location-based address recommendations and intuitive user interface requiring less support and training.

It also claims to support all types of whereabouts pools, including RTPs, and offers improved adherence to International Standard for Testing and Investigations requirements.

There is also a dedicated help desk to resolve issues. 

"WADA was determined that, with Athlete Central, the Agency would be offering a platform that would address the needs of its key beneficiary - the athletes," Stuart Kemp, WADA deputy director, standards and harmonisation and principal, ADAMS advancement, said. 

"Their feedback was clear - the app must be intuitive, simple, smart and reliable. 

"We believe that this is what we are delivering and we of course look forward to more feedback following its launch."