Drugs, medications and substances in sport
Athletes can’t just take any drug or medication, or even use any training method. Some drugs, medications and substances are banned in sport, as are some methods.
On 1 January 2010, the 2010 Prohibited List comes into effect. To give you a chance to familiarise yourself with the list, the World Anti-Doping Agency has published it on their website.
From 23 December 2009, if you check your substances on ASADA's website, your search results will be sourced from the 2010 Prohibited List.
Some of the key changes from the 2009 Prohibited List include the following:
- The status of salbutamol and salmeterol (used for the treatment of asthma). Therapeutic use of inhaled salbutamol (maximum 1600 micrograms per day) and salmeterol will not be prohibited as of 1 January 2010 with a declaration of use.
- Supplemental oxygen (hyperoxia) will no longer be prohibited.
- The status of platelet-derived preparations (such as Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP), ‘blood spinning’) has been clarified by WADA. It will be prohibited when administered by intramuscular route, but other routes of administration will require a declaration of use.
- Pseudoephedrine will be reintroduced to the Prohibited List and will be prohibited above 150 micrograms per millilitre.
Pseudoephedrine
Pseudoephedrine will be reintroduced to the List and will be prohibited above 150 micrograms per millilitre.
Athletes – do not take pseudoephedrine 24 hours prior to or during competition.
There are permitted alternatives which you can take in this time period.
Out-of-competition there is no need for a TUE to take pseudoephedrine.
For therapeutic applications in-competition, consider the use of alternative permitted medications upon previous consultation with a physician, or apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE).
The threshold level has been established based on the intake of therapeutic doses, defined as a maximum daily dose of 240mg PSE taken either as:
- four (4) daily administrations (one every 4-6 hours) of a 60mg pill (or 2 x 30mg pills), (8 Codral original cold and flu tables in 24 hours), or
- two (2) daily administrations (one every 12 hours) of a 120mg pill, or
- one (1) daily administration of a 240mg pill.
In line with this dosing regimen, the intake, for example, of a single daily dose of 3 x 60mg pills constitutes a supratherapeutic administration that may lead to an Adverse Analytical Finding.
Platelet Rich Plasma therapy
If you plan on using a platelet-derived preparation for a muscle injury, you must have an approved TUE prior to the procedure. Injections of platelet-derived preparations into joints will not require a TUE but will require a declaration of use.
You can make a declaration during a testing session by noting the use on the Doping Control Form, or by emailing declaration@asada.gov.au with your sport copied in, detailing athlete’s:
- name
- date of birth
- sport
- address
- substance
- name of treating doctor and
- circumstances of use.
How substances come to be prohibited
For a substance or method to be prohibited, it must meet two of the following three conditions:
- The substance or method has the potential to enhance, or does enhance performance in sport.
- The substance or method has the potential to risk the athlete’s health.
- The substance or method is deemed to violate the spirit of sport.
Watch a video on prohibited substances and methods [streaming FLV - 8.8MB]
The full definitions of reasons why methods and substances are prohibited (along with the rest of the World Anti-Doping Code) can be found on World Anti-Doping Agency’s website.
Every athlete is responsible for the substances that enter their body. Athletes are also responsible for any method they undertake. ASADA takes its list of prohibited substances and methods from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
ASADA can help athletes and their support personnel check substances they may have to take, as well as find out more about banned substances and methods.
- Click the ‘check your substances’ button on this or any other page of the ASADA website.
- Choose your sport, gender and your role (e.g. athlete or medical professional)– this ensures you get the right result.
- Enter the name of the Australian medication.
- Get your results instantly in a new window. If you want to check more than one substance, go back to step three.
- Click ‘log out and print session receipt’*. Either save your receipt electronically or print it out.
*You will be given a reference number to document your search results. It is extremely important that you retain your reference number, as proof of your research before using the medication or substance. This may help you if you are ever called upon to provide that information in the future.
Drugs, medications and substances listed on the ASADA website are only brand-name products sold in Australia. Be extremely careful when using an overseas product.
You might not find medications or substances listed on the ASADA website if they are an overseas product, a new product, or if you are searching by the generic product name or ingredients.
Some medications obtained overseas have the same brand name as medications sold in Australia, but they may contain different ingredients. Although the name and logo may be identical to that in Australia, overseas products may contain substances that are prohibited in sport.