The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has developed a Guidance Document on Glucocorticoids and Therapeutic Use Authorizations (TUEs) (in English) in order to help the various stakeholders in the fight against doping to understand the new rules concerning the routes of administration by injection of glucocorticoids within the framework of the List of prohibited substances and methods 2022 (the List).
As announced on 30 September 2021, from 1er January 2022, glucocorticoids will be banned in competition when administered by injection, orally or rectally. Routes of administration by injection include intravenous, intramuscular, periarticular, intraarticular, peritendinous, intratendinous, epidural, intrathecal, intrabursal, intralesional (eg, intracheloid), intradermal, and subcutaneous.
Therefore, athletes risk a sanction if any of their urine samples taken in competition indicates a level of glucocorticoids, its metabolites or its markers which is higher than the level reported by the laboratories.
The guidance document aims to avoid such cases when glucocorticoids are administered as part of a legitimate medical intervention. It is aimed in particular at athletes, support staff, anti-doping organizations and doctors, and covers the following topics:
- Glucocorticoids and the List of Prohibited Substances
- Glucocorticoids and TUE applications
- Elimination periods after administration of glucocorticoids
- When to apply for a TUE
- The process of evaluation, by a TUE Committee, of TUE requests concerning a glucocorticoid
In addition to this guidance document, WADA will publish the following resources at the beginning of November 2021, which will be useful to physicians and athletes:
- Checklists covering various health issues that potentially warrant the use of glucocorticoids
- TUE Guidelines for Physicians to help TUE Committees assess TUE requests for the administration of glucocorticoids to treat different health conditions
Upcoming webinars
In order to better help partners understand and put into practice the 2022 List, WADA will be hosting two webinars on November 4 and 5, 2021, at 11 a.m. (ET). These will be presented in English and French respectively. As part of these webinars, the WADA Prohibited List expert advisory group will present to the participants the main modifications of the 2022 List. If you wish to participate, you can subscribe in French ou en anglais.
In addition, a webinar (by invitation) for TUE Committee members will be held on December 9 at 8 a.m. (ET). WADA will communicate directly to Anti-Doping Organizations the registration process for their doctors.
WADA 2022 TUE Symposium in South Korea
As announced on March 24, 2021, WADA will hold its TUE Symposium, which had to be postponed, April 21 and 22, 2022 in Incheon, South Korea. Further information regarding the format of the event and registration will be published in the coming months.
If you have any questions regarding the Guidance Document or any of the above information, please contact the WADA Medical Department at medical@wada-ama.org.
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