As an athlete, coach, team manager or other athlete support person, it’s essential that you stay informed on what’s banned in sport. It’s how you keep yourself or your athletes safe from unintentionally breaking anti-doping rules.
And with annual updates to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Prohibited List, which lists all the substances and methods that are banned in sport, there’s even more reason to make sure you’re checking in regularly to understand what’s changing.
WADA have just released their updated Prohibited List for 2026, which comes into force on 1 January 2026. Don’t worry – we've got you covered: we’ve scoured the updates and picked out the three biggest changes we think you need to know about. Have a read, then check out the full summary of changes at Prohibited Substances.
1. Carbon monoxide inhalation/rebreathing
The biggest update is that non-diagnostic use of carbon monoxide (CO) inhalation will be banned. This comes from concerns that athletes inhaling CO outside of diagnosis can simulate hypoxia, leading to increases in hemoglobin and enhanced performance metrics.
From 1 January 2026, CO rebreathing or delivery will only be permitted as a diagnostic procedure under medical or scientific supervision.
2. Substances found in supplements
We know that supplements are a risk to athletes, and the additions to the 2026 Prohibited List confirms that. The updated List adds two new substances under 'Hormones and Metabolic Modulators' and two examples under 'Stimulants', all of which have been found in or sold as supplements.
Those substances are:
2-Phenylbenzo[h]chromen-4-one (also known as ɑ-naphthoflavone or 7,8-benzoflavone) - an aromatase inhibitor
5-N,6-N-bis(2-fluorophenyl)-[1,2,5]oxadiazolo[3,4-b]pyrazine-5,6-diamine (also known as BAM15) - an AMP-activated protein kinase activator
2-[Bis(4-fluorophenyl)methylsulfinyl]acetamide (flmodafinil) - a non-specified stimulant
2-[Bis(4-fluorophenyl) methylsulfinyl]-N-hydroxyacetamide (fladrafinil) - a non-specified stimulant
Remember, supplement ingredients aren’t always listed correctly on the product label. If you’re an athlete who uses supplements, make sure you know the risks and how to mitigate them.
3. Salmeterol dosing changes
The 2026 Prohibited List adds dosing intervals of salmeterol to avoid potential performance-enhancing effects. From 1 January 2026, athletes are banned from inhaling over 100 micrograms of salmeterol within 8 hours.
Don't worry, the maximum dosage of 200 micrograms over 24 hours remains the same.
Stay informed, stay safe
The annual update of the Prohibited List underscores the importance of staying vigilant. Whether you're an athlete, support personnel or part of the wider sporting community, making sure you’re up-to-date with what’s banned in sport is essential to protect clean sport – and to avoid career-ending mistakes.
Stay safe. Read the full list of changes at Prohibited Substances.
