Things you might need to know about sports supplements

Ever since a spate of nandrolone positives at the turn of the century were attributed to contaminated supplements, much has been written about the potential hazards of using sports supplements and the fact that – no matter what the label claims – there is no guarantee that any such product is free from banned substances.

Yet, the use of supplements has skyrocketed!...

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WADA Prohibited List 2017

WADA, the world anti-doping body, has published it's updated prohibited list for 2017, which will come into effect on January 1st. It is available to view here.

They have also, helpfully, produced a document which summaries the changes to the list. That document can be viewed here.

Athletes should remember that they are responsible for whatever substances are found in their bodies, and should stay abreast of changes to the Prohibited List. Any medications that you are taking should be checked on the relevant database (Global DRO if you live/purchased your medication in the UK; Eirpharm if you live/purchased your medication in the Republic of Ireland) on a regular basis as medications that you are taking may change in status.

Those of you who follow the doping news (or sports news in general) will remember the furore earlier this year when a number of top sporting stars failed tests for meldonium, a substance which was added to the 2016 banned list. Some, including Maria Sharapova, claimed that they didn't know the substance was banned, in Sharapova's case because she only knew the substance it only by its trade name Mildronate; others claimed they had stopped taking it before January 1, but that it hadn't cleared the system. Sharapova is currently serving a two year ban, as it was her responsibility to ensure that the drug she was taking wasn't banned.

Sharapova got off lightly - the standard ban for a first time doping offence is four years!