Each year, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) updates its List of Prohibited Substances and Methods, the list which designates what substances and methods are prohibited in sport, both in- and out-of-competition. As such, the 2022 version comes into force on 1 January 2022.
Athletes and support personnel are advised to familiarise themselves with the Prohibited List 2022 and its updates. A summary of the major updates with explanatory notes can be found here.
One significant update is the addition of glucocorticoids. All injectable routes of administration will now be prohibited for glucocorticoids during the in-competition period. Examples of injectable routes of administration include: intravenous, intramuscular, periarticular, intra-articular, peritendinous, intratendinous, epidural, intrathecal, intrabursal, intralesional (e.g. intrakeloid), intradermal, and subcutaneous. Oral administration of glucocorticoids, which remains prohibited in-competition, includes oromucosal, buccal, gingival and sublingual routes.
Other routes of administration (including inhaled and topical: dental-intracanal, dermal, intranasal, ophthalmological and perianal) are not prohibited when used within the manufacturer’s licensed doses and therapeutic indications.
It is strongly recommended that athletes follow the minimum washout periods, expressed from the time of administration to the start of the in-competition period. These washout periods are highlighted in the Summary of major modifications, and are based on the use of these medications according to the maximum manufacturer’s licensed doses.
It should be noted that athletes who have a legitimate medical reason for using a prohibited substance or method on the list may apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption.
The International Testing Agency (ITA), recently held a webinar explaining the List and the 2022 updates. It is available to view on their website. In it, the ITA’s Sports Pharmacist Mark Stuart and WADA’S TUE Manager David Healy present the most important information that athletes and their support personnel need to know, in a practical and interactive format. They also had an athlete guest, Eric Mackenzie, to provide the athletes’ perspective.
More information can be found on the WADA website.