WADA Prohibited List 2026: What’s New, What’s Gone, and What Athletes Need to Know

Every January, the sporting world gets a fresh update to the WADA Prohibited List — basically the annual “don’t even think about it” handbook for athletes.

Some years the changes are huge. Other years, the updates are tiny but important.

For 2026, WADA has kept things surprisingly steady… but not completely untouched. We combed through every section of the new list and compared it word-for-word with the 2025 edition so you don’t have to sit and highlight PDFs like you’re revising for exams.

Here’s your full breakdown — no jargon, no fearmongering, just a straightforward guide to what’s genuinely changed and what hasn’t.

The Headline: Almost No Substances Changed

Let’s get this out of the way:
There are no added or removed substances between the 2025 and 2026 Prohibited Lists.

That’s right — every S0 to S9 substance you’re already familiar with remains exactly as it was last year. No new SARMs, no unexpected peptides, no last-minute curveballs.

It’s not often we can say WADA took a “quiet year,” but this is about as close as it gets.

But—and this matters—the list is not identical.

What Actually Changed? One Big Addition Under Prohibited Methods

The single meaningful update for 2026 is found under M1 – Manipulation of Blood and Blood Components.

WADA has added a clear, specific clause stating that:

Using any rebreathing system or device that delivers carbon monoxide is now explicitly prohibited, unless it’s part of a medically supervised diagnostic procedure.

This clause didn’t exist before.

Why does this matter?

Believe it or not, some athletes and coaches have experimented with carbon monoxide exposure as a way to manipulate haemoglobin responses. It’s as dangerous as it sounds — you’re messing with oxygen transport by, well… removing oxygen.

WADA clearly decided to shut that door fully and officially.

If you were never planning to inhale carbon monoxide as part of a training block (good!), this change won’t affect your day-to-day life. But it’s still a key addition to know about, especially for elite sport environments where innovation occasionally crosses into “someone needs to stop this person” territory.

S0 – S9: All Substances Stay the Same

Across the main categories — Non-approved substances, Anabolic agents, Peptide hormones, Stimulants, Narcotics, Cannabinoids, and the rest — everything remains:

• The same structure

• The same examples

• The same thresholds

• The same exemptions

• The same “don’t do this unless you really fancy a ban” tone

A few highlights you should know remain unchanged:

• Salbutamol thresholds are still 1600 micrograms per 24 hours.

• Pseudoephedrine remains prohibited above the same urinary concentration.

• Glucocorticoids still follow identical rules on permitted topical use vs prohibited injectable/oral routes.

• SARMs remain banned in their entirety — nothing added, nothing removed.

• Insulin and insulin-mimetics remain tightly restricted exactly as before.

If you memorised last year’s list (you probably didn’t, but still), you’re safe. Nothing unexpected has crept in.

Thresholds & Dosage Clarifications: No Changes Here Either

All dosage limits for:

• Salbutamol

• Formoterol

• Pseudoephedrine

• Ephedrine / Methylephedrine

• Cathine

• Glucocorticoids (in competition)

remain identical. There are no updated numbers, no new medical exemptions, no added wording in the 2026 list.

This is good news — fewer changes means fewer chances to accidentally find yourself on the wrong side of a borderline reading.

Beta Blockers in Specific Sports: Still the Same

Archery, shooting, billiards, underwater sports and the rest all remain on the same list with the same restrictions on beta-blockers.

No extra sports added. No sports removed. No changes to permitted or prohibited substances in this section.

Why Did WADA Keep Things So Stable This Year?

There are a few likely reasons:

1. Fewer new experimental substances in circulation

2024–2025 didn’t introduce many emerging compounds outside the existing categories.

2. The monitoring programmes didn’t flag new concerns

If misuse patterns don’t shift significantly, WADA tends to leave the list alone.

3. The science behind existing rules hasn’t changed

When consensus stays strong, WADA keeps things consistent.

4. WADA may be preparing for larger changes in 2027-2028

It isn’t unusual for WADA to have “quiet years” before a more substantial structural rewrite or policy update.

Essentially, this year’s list feels like a “maintenance release,” with the carbon monoxide rule filling a gap that arguably should’ve been closed earlier.

What This Means for You as an Athlete

Even a stable prohibited list deserves your full attention. Consistency is great, but responsibility still lies with you.

Stick to the basics:

• Avoid buying random powders off TikTok gym bros.

• Don’t take anything that starts with “research chemical.”

• If a supplement claims “legal steroid-like gains,” it’s probably neither legal nor safe.

• Always check your medications with a trusted pharmacist or governing body.

And please, for the love of your lungs:

Do not inhale carbon monoxide in any training context.
If you needed WADA to tell you that, we need to have a chat.

Final Thoughts

The 2026 WADA Prohibited List is one of the calmest updates in recent years — nearly everything is unchanged, and athletes get a rare moment of stability.

The single major addition, around CO rebreathing systems, is niche but important. Otherwise, if you were compliant in 2025, you’ll remain compliant in 2026 as long as you stay vigilant.

If you ever want help checking ingredient lists, supplement formulas, or “grey area” compounds, just shout. We’ll help you navigate it before WADA navigates you straight into a ban.

Stay clean. Stay smart. Stay inabootit.