Products to get disqualified from the Olympics: What You Should Know About WADA Rules

WADA stands as an international, independent agency focused on combating doping in sports. It promotes and coordinates global efforts and also ensures uniform anti-doping standards worldwide. This empowers anti-doping organisations to craft athlete-centric programs, safeguarding fair play across all sports.

WADA maintains a list of prohibited substances and methods in sports. Athletes found using these substances face detection through testing and subsequent disqualification from competitions. This is relevant for all athletes participating in competitive sports governed by anti-doping regulations, ensuring fairness and integrity in various international and national competitions. However, not all performance enhancers are banned by WADA. In this article, we will review some of the stimulants that might be used to boost your sports results.

Since January 1, 2016, Meldonium has been designated a banned substance by WADA due to its documented use among athletes. This classification followed high-profile cases such as Maria Sharapova's, where she admitted to using Mildronate and subsequently faced suspension from competition.

Despite accusations of doping, Professor Kalvins, the compound creator, has maintained that Meldonium was developed solely to protect athletes' cardiovascular systems under strenuous physical conditions, emphasising its intended use for cardioprotection rather than performance enhancement beyond normal limits.

Phenylpiracetam is a derivative of piracetam, and it is marketed in some parts of the world as a compound that is designed to enhance brain function through increased synaptic transmission and wakefulness. Preclinical and limited clinical studies from Eastern Europe suggest neurometabolic and stimulant-like effects, promoting protein and phospholipid synthesis and facilitating the circulation of information molecules in the brain. More information is available in the Phenylpiracetam review.

Physiologically, phenylpiracetam enhances motor reactions and physical performance, improves vision acuity, and promotes blood flow to the extremities. In some animal studies, it exhibits adaptogenic effects, increasing stress resistance during physical and mental exertion, and enhances immune response without inducing hypersensitivity reactions.

Since it is deemed beneficial for athletic performance through the improvement of oxygen tolerance and the reduction of fatigue (although not well quantified in modern controlled trials), phenylpiracetam is listed as a stimulant by WADA. So, athletes are cautioned against its use before competitions due to its stimulating effects and relatively short half-life of 3-5 hours.

Actovegin is used in some parts of the world in cases of brain vascular and metabolic disorders, circulatory issues, trophic ulcers, burns, wounds, and fetal growth disorders. Considered an ergogenic aid, Actovegin has been marketed and used by athletes, including bodybuilders, aiming to enhance physical performance by boosting cellular metabolism, reducing lactic acid buildup, improving muscle contractility, increasing energy reserves, and enhancing oxygen and glucose transport.

Actovegin sparked controversy when athletes used it during the Sydney Olympics and Tour de France in 2000, prompting speculation about its potential doping effects. However, currently, WADA has not classified Actovegin as a prohibited substance due to a lack of proven efficiency.

Bemiton or Bemitil is a Soviet‑era pharmaceutical known for its adaptogenic and immunostimulant properties. It is researched for its potential to enhance physical and mental performance by improving endurance, reducing fatigue, and bolstering resistance to stress in animal studies.

While it is not explicitly prohibited by WADA, it is still on WADA’s monitoring program. Hence, athletes should exercise caution, as its use may still come under scrutiny if suspected of providing unfair performance advantages.

There are numerous substances available for enhancing athletic performance, some of which are prohibited by WADA, while others are not. It is crucial to handle them with caution, seek guidance from a specialist, and ensure compliance with anti-doping regulations. Athletes must prioritise their health and safety by making informed decisions about the substances they use, understanding the potential risks and benefits under professional supervision. This approach helps maintain integrity in sports and promotes fair competition while safeguarding against health risks associated with the misuse of performance-enhancing substances.