The World Anti-Doping Agency Releases 2025 Banned Substances Updates – How Does This Affect CrossFit?
On September 24, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) published an updated list of prohibited substances and methods, which will become effective on January 1, 2025.
Remind me: WADA was formed in 1999 as an international independent agency to lead a collaborative initiative to combat doping in sports. On its website, WADA states that its primary goal is to “develop, harmonize and coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries.”
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CrossFit and WADA
As a sport, CrossFit follows WADA guidelines and carries out its drug testing in partnership with Drug Free Sport International.
- Drug Free Sport International is an organization that “administers comprehensive drug testing programs; manages national and international collections; develops drug testing policies; and provides educational services to a wide range of colleges, universities and amateur athletics organizations around the world.”
CrossFit athletes can be tested randomly during the off-season and at in-person competitions. They are also required to provide CrossFit with up-to-date contact and whereabouts information every quarter of the year.
Testing is witnessed by a doping control officer, and the samples are then sent to WADA-approved laboratories. Afterward, Drug Free Sport reports the test results to CrossFit, which then alerts an athlete in the case of a failed test.
The Big Picture
Ultimately, it’s the athlete’s responsibility to stay up-to-date with what substances are legal and which ones are banned following WADA guidelines.
A summary of WADA’s “major modifications” and explanatory notes can be found here, and the full list of WADA’s banned substances can be downloaded here.
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Featured image: @wada_ama / Instagram
