The Prohibited List and checking the status of medication
The World Anti-Doping Agency's Prohibited List identifies the substances and methods that are banned in sport. A substance or method may be included on the List if it meets any two of the following three criteria:
- It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance
- It represents an actual or potential health risk to the athlete
- It violates the spirit of sport (as is defined in both World and the IPC Anti-Doping Codes)
The Prohibited List Includes substances and methods that are prohibited at all times, prohibited only in-competition and prohibited only in particular sports. Other substances that are not necessarily named on the List but have a similar chemical structure or similar biological effect, are also prohibited. The substances and methods are classified by the following categories within the List:
- 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
- S5. Diuretics and masking agents
- S6. Stimulants (in-competition)
- S7. Narcotics (in-competition)
- S8. Cannabinoids (in-competition)
- S9. Glucocorticoids (in-competition)
- M1. Manipulation of blood and blood components
- M2. Chemical and physical manipulation
- M3. Gene doping
The Prohibited List is updated annually following an extensive consultation process facilitated by WADA. The updated List comes into force on 01 January each year. It is published by WADA three months prior to coming into force, to make people aware in advance of any changes. In exceptional circumstances, a substance or method may be added to the Prohibited List at any time.
Download the 2026 Prohibited List
Key Changes to the 2026 Prohibited List
The 2026 Prohibited List published by the World Anti-Doping Agency is in force from 1 January 2026. Click here for a summary of the major modifications to the 2026 Prohibited List and explanatory notes.
Principle of Strict Liability
In anti-doping, the principle of strict liability applies, whereby an athlete is responsible for any prohibited substances found in their urine and/or blood sample collected during doping control, regardless of whether they intended to dope or not.
Athletes must be aware of the Prohibited List and carefully check any medications or supplements prior to taking them. IPC recommends that athletes consult a trained professional, such as a doctor, pharmacist or nutritionist, who is best placed to interpret the List and provide advice.
Checking the status of medication
The IPC recommends Global Drug Reference Online (GlobalDRO) as a tool for athletes and support personnel to check the status of specific medications and/or individual ingredients against the current Prohibited List (see above).
Athletes who fail to check the status of their medication they are using to treat a genuine health concern risk failing a anti-doping test, regardless of whether there was an intention to dope (see above for an explanation of strict liability).
Medication purchased in a Global DRO member country, (currently Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Switzerland, Japan, Australia and New Zealand) can be checked on GlobalDRO by its brand name or by each ingredient of the product.
If the medication was purchased in a country that is not a Global DRO member country, then each individual ingredient of the medication must be checked; a check cannot be done simply on the brand name as medications with the same brand name, but produced in different countries, may contain different ingredients.
When using GlobalDRO please remember to:
- Ensure that the name of the product searched on GlobalDRO matches exactly the product name on the packet
- Keep a note of the individual GlobalDRO search reference number or, ideally, take a screen shot of the search for your records
- Regularly recheck the status of any medications you use to ensure that the medication is checked against the latest version of the Prohibited List. Rechecking is especially important following the entry in to force of a new Prohibited List each 1 January
Note that GlobalDRO cannot be used to check the status of supplements. Athletes and support staff should make themselves aware of the risk associated with supplement use and take measures to reduce or eliminate (by not using supplements) the risk.