The WADA Prohibited List is updated every year, and each new revision causes a wave of discussion: why was one substance added and another removed? In fact, behind the list there is a well-defined procedure laid down in the World Anti-Doping Code. The editors analyze who and according to what rules decide what exactly is considered doping.
What is the Prohibited List
The Prohibited List is one of the international standards of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which is mandatory for all signatories of the Code: international federations, national Olympic committees and national anti-doping organizations. It is what laboratories refer to when interpreting the results of sample analysis.
The first unified WADA list entered into force in 2004. Before that, each federation and the IOC had their own lists, which created confusion: a substance banned in one sport could be allowed in another. Unification was one of the main reasons for the creation of WADA in 1999.
The list is divided into substances and methods prohibited at all times, substances prohibited only during competition, and substances prohibited in certain sports. In addition to the specific names, it includes the wording "and other substances with a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect", which makes it possible to cover new designer compounds.
The document has legal force precisely because its adoption is provided for by the Code, and athletes, participating in competitions, agree to anti-doping rules. Under the Code, WADA's decision to list a substance is final and cannot be appealed by an athlete on the grounds that the substance allegedly does not meet the criteria.
Three criteria for inclusion of a substance
Article 4.3 of the World Anti-Doping Code defines three criteria. A substance or method can be listed if it meets at least two of them. This is a fundamental point: no single criterion, even a proven improvement in results, is sufficient by itself.
- Performance-enhancing potential - medical or scientific evidence, pharmacological effect or experience that a substance alone or in combination with others can improve performance.
- Real or potential risk to the athlete's health.
- Violation of the spirit of sport — the values described in the introduction to the Code: honesty, health, respect for rules, etc.
Separately, the Code allows the inclusion of substances that can mask the use of other prohibited means. Thus, diuretics and plasma substitutes were included in the list: they themselves do not necessarily improve the result, but they can "dilute" urine or change blood parameters.
The criteria are deliberately formulated broadly. This gives flexibility, but at the same time creates debate: for example, "sportsmanship" is a concept that is difficult to measure. Proponents of the system point out that it is the combination of the two criteria that protects against arbitrary decisions.
| Example | Improvement of the result | Health risk | Spirit of sport / masking |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anabolic steroids | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Erythropoietin | Yes | Yes (thrombosis) | Yes |
| Diuretics | Indirectly (weight categories) | Yes (dehydration) | Masking |
| Caffeine (not currently banned) | Yes | Moderate | Subject of discussion; is in the monitoring program |
Who makes decisions and how
The working body that prepares the draft list is the List Expert Advisory Group. It includes pharmacologists, endocrinologists, specialists in analytical chemistry and sports medicine. The group tests the scientific literature, laboratory data, results of the monitoring program and proposals of interested parties.
The process has an annual cycle. At the beginning of the year, WADA accepts proposals from governments, federations, anti-doping organizations and laboratories. The expert group then prepares a draft that is sent to stakeholders for consultation, usually in the summer. The received comments are taken into account in the final version.
The draft is then reviewed by the Health, Medicine and Research Committee, and final approval is given by the WADA Executive Committee — usually in September. The Code requires a new list to be published at least three months prior to its entry into force; the new version enters into force on January 1 of the following year.
Along with the list, WADA publishes "Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes" — an explanatory document that lists the changes and explains their logic. The editorial team advises athletes and doctors to read every year, because it is shorter and clearer than the list itself.
The list may change unscheduled: the Code allows WADA to make changes within a year with proper notice. In practice, this rarely happens, because athletes need predictability.
Monitoring program
Article 4.5 of the Code provides for a monitoring program — a list of substances that are not prohibited, but are monitored by laboratories to detect possible abuse. The results of tests for these substances do not lead to sanctions, but are accumulated in the form of statistics.
The most famous example of how monitoring turns into prohibition is meldonium. Laboratory data showed widespread and non-therapeutic use of the drug among athletes of certain countries, after which it was included in the S4 category from January 1, 2016. The result was a series of positive tests at the beginning of the year, in particular the high-profile case of tennis player Maria Sharapova.
The reverse example is caffeine. It was on the banned list until 2004 (with a threshold concentration), then it was removed and transferred to the monitoring program, where it remains. The data shows widespread use, but WADA does not yet consider it appropriate to reinstate the ban.
Certain narcotic analgesics, such as tramadol, have also been in the monitoring program for a long time. The accumulated data became the basis for his ban during competitions from 2024. This example shows that the path from monitoring to banning can take many years.
Disputed decisions and criticism
One of the most frequent complaints about the list is its difficulty for the average athlete. The wording "other substances with a similar chemical structure" is legally necessary, but does not allow a person without a pharmacological education to clearly evaluate a specific drug. Therefore, WADA recommends using the drug reference databases of national anti-doping organizations.
The second line of criticism is the question of the scientific validity of individual bans. For example, the debate continues about cannabinoids: their ergogenic effect for most sports is questionable, but the risk criteria for health and sportsmanship are formally met. In 2021, WADA changed its approach, relegating THC to "substances of abuse" with reduced sanctions possible only when the relevant Code conditions are met.
The third topic is threshold concentrations and contamination. Some substances are detected in samples in trace amounts due to contaminated food or additives. WADA responds with technical documents with minimum reporting levels, but the problem is not completely solved.
Despite criticism, the annual update model with public consultation is considered more transparent than the previous system of disparate federated lists. Any signatory organization can submit a reasoned proposal for changes.
Editorial conclusions
The WADA Prohibited List is not an arbitrary list, but the result of an annual procedure with clearly defined criteria: a substance must meet two of three characteristics or be a masking agent.
A key role is played by an expert group, public consultations and a monitoring program, which allows for the accumulation of data before a decision on the ban is made.
Athletes should check the applicable list, explanatory notes and effective dates each year. The usual annual list takes effect on January 1; specific notices and any exceptional changes still need to be read.
We also advise you to read our materials on the categories of substances on the WADA list, on the doping control procedure and on obtaining a permit for therapeutic use.
References
- World Anti-Doping Agency. World Anti-Doping Code 2021. Montreal: WADA; 2021 (Article 4: The Prohibited List).
- World Anti-Doping Agency. International Standard: Prohibited List. Montreal: WADA; акÑÑалÑна ÑедакÑÑÑ.
- World Anti-Doping Agency. Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes (ÑоÑÑÑÐ½Ñ Ð²Ð¸Ð´Ð°Ð½Ð½Ñ).
- World Anti-Doping Agency. Monitoring Program. Montreal: WADA; акÑÑалÑна ÑедакÑÑÑ.
- UNESCO. International Convention against Doping in Sport. Paris: UNESCO; 2005.
- Pope HG Jr, Wood RI, Rogol A, et al. Adverse health consequences of performance-enhancing drugs: an Endocrine Society scientific statement. Endocr Rev. 2014;35(3):341–375.
