Third-party certifications for sport are not all the same, and they are not just for athletes. Differences in scope, frequency of testing, and key elements are important distinguishing factors.

All sport certification programs have a primary goal of reducing the risk of banned-substance contamination for athletes, military service members, and others subject to strict drug testing. The inclusion of other key elements including label claim and contaminant testing, and GMP audits and compliance reviews, provide broader benefits to brands and to general consumers.

For athletes and drug tested professionals, and for brands, consumers, and retailers – the distinction in key elements matters.

Just one contaminated supplement can damage a career, a reputation, a team, or a brand. That is why international programs such as BSCG Certified Drug Free, Informed Sport, NSF Certified for Sport, and others have become essential for sport and active nutrition products, or other supplements that market to drug tested professionals.

These programs have a lot in common, but they are not identical.

Two companies founded this category of certification services in 2004: BSCG and NSF.

Globally recognized BSCG Certified Drug Free was designed for banned substance protection but also incorporates an initial quality control process review and annual verification of manufacturer GMP audits and label claim and contaminant testing. BSCG’s network friendly model allows GMP audits and quality testing to be done by other qualified laboratories and audit providers. BSCG Certified Drug Free tests every lot for more than 450 drugs including 400+ substances banned in sport and 50+ prescription, over-the-counter, and illicit drugs.

NSF Certified for Sport  is a well-regarded international program that sits within a broader NSF dietary supplement certification framework. Manufacturers must be audited by NSF for GMP, and products are tested annually for label claims and contaminants in the NSF Contents Certified program following the NSF/ANSI 173 standard. NSF tests for more than 290 drugs. Frequency of testing is either every lot, or done at the discretion of brands or NSF.

Informed Sport, created in 2008 and operated by LGC, is the largest banned substance certification program in the world. Informed Sport tests every lot for more than 285 drugs. There is an initial review process that evaluates GMP compliance, manufacturing controls, and the quality control process but there is no annual process for verifying product quality. The program is recognized by numerous sport, anti-doping, and military groups around the world.

There are other reputable programs that operate more regionally. HASTA is an Australian program created in 2016 that tests every lot for 250+ drugs with initial review of GMP and the quality control process. Cologne List, created in 2006 in Germany, requires annual screening for ~150 steroids and stimulants.

Two new certification programs started in the U.S. in the last year. Tru Shield Certified focuses on lot-specific banned substance testing. Eurofins Clean Sport offers lot-specific testing for banned substances in partnership with Tru Shield, with program prerequisites including annual quality testing according to NSF/ANSI 173 and a GMP audit requirement. Both programs cover more than 400 drugs.

Some third-party certifications for sport also fulfil compliance requirements for retailers offering added benefits to brands. BSCG, Informed, and NSF are part of the Amazon compliance fast track for non-high risk dietary supplements allowing certified products to automatically pass through Amazon compliance with no action required by brands. High risk products like bodybuilding, joint health, sexual enhancement, sports nutrition, and weight management must submit compliance materials through a TIC listed in Amazon seller central for dietary supplements. Results from third-party certification providers can be submitted to TICs as part of the compliance packet.

No certification can promise zero risk. But reputable third-party certification has proven to be an invaluable risk management and marketing tool for brands. It can strengthen quality systems. It can support transparency. It builds trust in consumers and athletes and enables them to easily identify clean, high-quality products. That is why the majority of sport and anti-doping organizations today point to third-party certification as a vital resource for athletes to avoid inadvertent positive drug tests that can come from contaminated dietary supplements.