Doping and Sports

What's new regarding the allowed and prohibited substances in sports? The World Anti-Doping Agency publishes a list of updates from time to time.

The 2020 prohibited list for the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA-AMA) has been in force since the 1st of January 2020. WADA the main body responsible for detecting, preventing, and controlling doping in sports recently released an update on doping substances.

What is doping?

Firstly, doping traditionally refers to the use of certain substances to gain an advantage over opponents. In fact, the original term comes from the verb ‘dope’ which also means ‘drug’.

After the publication of the WADA-AMA World Anti-Doping Code, any act that violates the code in sports is considered doping. Consequently, the concept of doping can be altered and expanded. It’ll always be intertwined with updates from international regulatory bodies.

Doping methods have diversified greatly due to advancements in technology. A clear example of this would be the use of techniques derived from gene therapy which has generated enormous controversy in boxing. The possibility of ‘imperceptible doping’ has made it clear that anti-doping regulations and measures have to be updated.

It’s no coincidence that the WADA 2020 prohibited list isn’t limited to a certain range of doping substances. It also bans physical and chemical methods of doping including the manipulation of blood and of course, genetic doping.

What criteria are used to identify doping?

People often wonder what criteria are taken into account in order to classify certain compounds, techniques, practices, or therapies as doping. Generally speaking, in order to be considered doping, the method or substance in question must meet at least two of the following criteria:

• Having the potential to increase or optimize an athlete’s performance.
• Lead to potential health risks.
• Go against the spirit of the sport.

From the moment that a substance is added to the prohibited list, athletes will be held accountable for using it. This is based on the fact that athletes are responsible for being aware of the practices that are allowed or prohibited in their sport.

Any athlete who needs to consume any substance that’s on the prohibited list for legitimate medical reasons must obtain special authorization. The application for special authorization must comply with the requirements set forth in the International Standards for Authorization of Therapeutic Use (EIAUT).

If an athlete violates anti-doping regulations, they may face sanctions and they may also have to respond to disciplinary procedures. The same applies to members of the athlete’s technical or support staff who encourage, facilitate, or attempt to bypass doping practices.

Doping and sports: what’s changed in the new prohibited list?

As we previously mentioned, WADA-AMA has published a summary of updates to its 2020 prohibited list. This document is available publicly and it can be found here.

With respect to androgenic anabolic steroids (AAS), the subdivision of exogenous and endogenous has been eliminated. The substances which were banned in 2019 in the S1 category remain on the list however, the following substances were added:

Methlyclostebol

1-epiandrosteronet

The S2 category which has to do with growth and peptide hormones changed slightly. Argon was removed from the list. Following a request for review, WADA-AMA considers that it is a substance that already meets all of the inclusion criteria.

The S4 category which has to do with metabolic and hormonal modulators has two new additions. Bazedoxifene and ospemifene have been added to the list as they’re examples of selective estrogen receptor modulators.

Doping and sports: more news, more banned substances

Firstly, Octodrine (1,5- dimenthylhexylamine) has been added to the S6 category which has to do with stimulants. Secondly, WADA has clarified that imidazole derivatives aren’t prohibited if administered nasally, dermatological, or in ophthalmological form.

Natural and synthetic cannabinoids remain prohibited, although a section of the S7 text has been changed for better clarity. Cannabidiol (CBD) continues to be allowed, however, athletes will be held accountable if they ingest products that also contain THC.

What about gene doping?

We couldn’t conclude without mentioning gene doping. The new text has undergone several modifications to account for new gene therapy techniques. In addition, new restrictions have been made when it comes to a method such as ‘gene silencing’ and ‘gene transfer.