News

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has included Tramadol in its 2024 Prohibited List and it will be banned in competition from today. The Prohibited List is important as it designates what substances and methods are prohibited in sport, in-competition only, and within specific sports.

What is Tramadol?

Tramadol is an opioid analgesic and is classified as a prescription only medicine in the UK. Tramadol misuse is of concern because of the risks of physical dependence, opiate addiction, and overdose. It has led to it being a controlled drug in many countries.

It is imperative that Players and Support Personnel are aware of their responsibility around checking their medication and to fully understand the principle of strict liability. Strict liability means that you are solely responsible for any banned substance you use, attempt to use, or is found in your system, regardless of how it got there or whether there was any intention to cheat. Not knowing is not enough.

Any players concerned about tramadol misuse, please reach out to their governing authority or player association, speak to their PDM or speak to your doctor.  

The following resources are also available to read on WADA’s website:

• The full 2024 Prohibited List (2024 Prohibited List)
• The WADA 2024 Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes can be found here
• The 2024 Monitoring Program which includes substances not currently on the List but are being monitored by WADA for potential patterns of misuse in sport can be found here