What you need to know about the WADA 2024 Prohibited List

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes a comprehensive document known as the Prohibited List, which contains details of the substances and methods that are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition and which substances are banned in particular sports.

The List is one of eight mandatory International Standards for signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code).

The Prohibited List is updated annually and comes into effect on 1 January every year, and any changes to the Prohibited List are made public every year in early October for changes applicable to the upcoming year.

The Prohibited List is broken down into three parts:

• Substances and methods prohibited at all times
• Substances and methods prohibited in-competition
• Substances prohibited in certain sports

If a substance or method is on or is added to the List, it meets at least two of the following three criteria:

1. It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance
2. It represents an actual or potential health risk to the athletes
3. It violates the spirit of sport

Of the substances and methods prohibited at all times, there are six substance categories: S0 (non-approved substances), S1 (anabolic agents), S2 (peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimetics), S3 (beta-2 agonists), S4 (hormone and metabolic modulators) and S5 (diuretics and masking agents). There are three method categories: M1 (manipulation of blood and blood components), M2 (chemical and physical manipulation) and M3 (gene and cell doping).

Of the substance and methods prohibited in-competition, there are the following categories: S6 (stimulants), S7 (narcotics), S8 (cannabinoids), and S9 (glucocorticoids).

P1 (beta blockers) are prohibited in certain sports (and in some cases, both in-competition and out-of-competition).

Unless otherwise specified by your International Federation (IF), the in-competition period generally starts right before midnight (at 11:59 p.m.) on the day before an athlete’s scheduled competition. It continues until the competition is over, including until the end of the doping control process if the athlete is selected for doping.

As we approach the end of the year, it is important that athletes and athlete support personnel understand what is new on the Prohibited List for 2024.

ITA will host a webinar about the important changes to the 2024 Prohibited List, covering the new prohibited substances for next year. Now is the time for all athletes to check the medicines they are taking to make sure you are prepared for the new rules.

Mark Stuart, Sports Pharmacist, and ITA Senior Manager for Operations Development and David Healy, WADA Senior Manager Medical, Science, and Medicine, will present the most important information that athletes and their support personnel need to know, in a practical and interactive format.

You can register for the webinar here and you can download the 2024 Prohibited List here.