The World Anti-Doping Agency released a reminder to all of its stakeholders on Thursday that a new prohibited list of banned substances is now active following its approval last September.
The updated list is also part of eight mandatory international standards that make up the World Anti-Doping Code.
The range of substances in the banned list falls under several classifications: anabolic agents, peptide hormones, beta-2 agonists, hormone and metabolic modulators, diuretics and masking agents, stimulants, narcotics, cannabinoids, glucocorticoids.
Officially listed as the 2026 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, the guide is joined by the 2026 Monitoring Program which serves as a list of items that are not banned but are observed by WADA in order to “detect potential patterns of misuse in sport.”
The List is one of the eight International Standards that are mandatory for all Signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code (Code). It designates which substances and methods are prohibited both in- and out-of-competition and which substances are banned in particular sports.
According to WADA, the most notable differences to the prohibited list include:
• revised dosing intervals of salmeterol are changed to avoid potential ergogenic effects, however the maximum daily delivered dose will stay the same.
• greater details about the exclusion of withdrawal of blood and blood components.
• non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide is now part of the Prohibited Methods and using carbon monoxide for diagnostic purposes in not allowed.
• cell components are added to the existing prohibition of using normal or genetically modified cells.
• that use of sustained-release formulations may result in detectable glucocorticoid levels past the washout period due to prolonged systemic absorption.
