WADA published “2021 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods (List)” which enters into force on 1 January 2021. The 2021 List, which has been redesigned in order to improve navigation and usability for athletes and their support personnel, was approved by WADA’s Executive Committee (ExCo) during its meeting on 14-15 September 2020 and was first published on 30 September 2020.
The List, which is one of the eight International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code), designates what substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition, and which substances are banned in particular sports.
WADA Director General Olivier Niggli said: “WADA kindly ask athletes, their entourage and all other stakeholders to review the List carefully and to take particular note of this year’s modifications to avoid inadvertent use of substances and methods that are prohibited in sport for 2021.”
The List’s annual revision process is led by WADA, beginning with an initial meeting in January and concluding with the publication of the List by 1 October. This is an extensive consultation process that includes WADA’s List Expert Group gathering information, circulating a draft List among stakeholders, taking their submissions into consideration and revising the draft, followed by review by the Agency’s Health, Medical and Research (HMR) Committee.
The HMR Committee then makes its recommendation to the WADA Executive Committee, which approves the List during its September meeting.
For a substance or method to be added to the List, it must be determined that it meets 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
It should be noted that for athletes who have a legitimate medical reason for using a prohibited substance or method that is on the List, they may be accommodated if they meet the criteria outlined in the International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE). The TUE Program is a rigorous and necessary part of elite sport which has overwhelming acceptance from athletes, physicians and anti-doping stakeholders.
To view the changes made in the 2021 Prohibited List as compared to the 2020 version, please see the 2021 Summary of Modifications and Explanatory Notes.