Summary of Major Changes to the 2020 Prohibited List

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published the 2020 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods. Broken down into several categories, the List identifies which substances and methods are prohibited in-competition, out-of-competition and occasionally by specific sport.

The List is updated and published annually on 1 October, following an extensive consultation process facilitated by WADA, before coming into effect on 1 January 2020.

This gives athletes and their support personnel sufficient time to make themselves aware of the changes, review any medications they use, and apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) if required.

The key changes to The List for 2020 are summarised below.

S1

  • Anabolic Androgenic Steroids (AAS): Prohibited substances in this section have not changed. However, Methylclostebol and 1-epiandrosterone were added as examples of anabolic androgenic steroids.

  • Other Anabolic Agents: LGD-4033 is now also listed by its commonly used name, ligandrol. Athletes should be aware that this substance has recently been found in certain dietary supplements, marketed for increasing lean muscle mass.

S2

  • Argon (a noble gas) has been removed, as it is no longer considered to meet the criteria for inclusion.

S4

  • Bazedoxifene and ospemifene were added as further examples of selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs).

M4

  • “Gene silencing” and “gene transfer” were added as further examples of gene doping methods.

S6

  • Octodrine (1,5-dimethylhexylamine) was added as an example of a Specified Stimulant. Octodrine has recently started appearing in supplement products marketed for fat burning and pre-workout.

Athletes should remain vigilant regarding substances that can be found in some dietary supplements. Read UKAD’s position on dietary supplements.

For further information on the full list of modifications please consult the WADA 2020 Prohibited List and the WADA 2020 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes.