No major changes in WADA's 2018 Prohibited List

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The World Anti-Doping Agency released its 2018 Prohibited List three months before it takes effect, but unlike 2016 when the ban on Meldonium caught many athletes off-guard, forcing the agency to offer amnesty for positives early in the year, there were no major changes to the list for the coming season.

"WADA is pleased to publish the 2018 Prohibited List," said WADA President, Sir Craig Reedie. "Updated annually, the List is released three months ahead of taking effect so that all stakeholders – in particular athletes and their entourage – have sufficient time to familiarize themselves with the document and its modification.

"It is vital that all athletes and entourage take the necessary time to consult the List; and that, they contact their respective anti-doping organizations (ADOs) if they have any doubts as to the status of a substance or method."

The full list can be found on the WADA website here.

There were minor changes to some examples for the various classes of prohibited substances. In good news for Floyd Landis and his new cannabis business, hemp seed oil (Cannabidiol) is specifically allowed unless it contains THC, the psychoactive component of marijuana.

The prohibition on alcohol in certain sports (archery, motorsports, air sports and power boating) was removed, leaving those sports to police its use as they see fit.

WADA also upped the allowed volume and timing of intravenous infusions from 50 mL per six-hour period to no more than 100 mL per 12-hour period "in order to allow greater flexibility for the safe administration of non-prohibited therapeutic substances".

In the monitoring programme, the adaptogen bemitil and the opioid pain killer hydrocodone were added to the list, while Mitragynine and telmisartan were removed.

The monitoring programme continues to include caffeine, nicotine, tramadol, glucocorticoids, and beta-2-agonists.