The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has published the “2025 List of Prohibited Substances and Methods”, approved by the WADA Executive Committee on 12 September and entering into force on 1 January 2025.
As customary, WADA has also released the “Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes” outlining the changes introduced in the 2025 List compared to the current version, as well as the “2025 Monitoring Program”, which includes substances not currently prohibited but that will be monitored by WADA to identify potential patterns of misuse in sport.
The List published by WADA is one of the eight International Standards that are mandatory for all signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code, and it specifies which substances and methods are prohibited both in-competition and out-of-competition, as well as those that are banned in particular sports.
“We encourage athletes, their support personnel, and all stakeholders to review the Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes to avoid the inadvertent use of prohibited substances and methods in sport in 2025,” said WADA Director General Olivier Niggli. “In particular, we kindly ask all anti-doping organizations worldwide to share the List and its related documents with athletes, their entourage, and other relevant persons under their jurisdiction.”
According to the Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes to the 2025 Prohibited List, the main updates include the following:
- Additional examples have been added under the following substance classes to help athletes and their entourage better identify prohibited substances:
- S0. Non-approved substances
- S4. Hormone and metabolic modulators
- S5. Diuretics and masking agents
- S6. Stimulants
- The dosage ranges for formoterol have been revised, although the maximum daily inhaled dose remains unchanged.
- The donation of blood and blood components, including via apheresis, is no longer prohibited when performed in an accredited collection center.
- Hydrafinil has been newly classified as a non-specified stimulant.
- It has been clarified that guanfacine is not a prohibited substance.