The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) decided to ban from 2024 the use of tramadol in competition, an analgesic frequently used in cycling, and put cannabis on the list of prohibited products, during a meeting of its executive council, according to a statement published on Friday.
El tramadol, synthetic opioid, was under surveillance, but was not listed so far on the list of prohibited products and substances by WADAalthough it was prohibited since 2019 by the medical regulations of the International Cycling Union (UCI).
The Colombian runner Nairo Quintana recently suffered a disqualification from the last Tour de France for the use of this substance, which caused great controversy as it was not considered an illegal substance. “The executive committee has followed the recommendation of the group of experts to ban Tramadol in competition from January 1, 2024″said the AMA after the executive council that took place in Australia, and that focused on the list of prohibited products that it reviews annually.
The time interval will allow athletes and those around them to adapt to this new ban. To reinforce this decision, the AMA highlighted the studies that demonstrate the ability of this analgesic to improve physical performance, something that until now was discussed.
The Agency also recalls that Tramadol, like all opioids, can cause strong dependency. This substance is implicated in the opioid crisis that is shaking the United States.
While this decision marks a before and after in the AMA, Nairo waits patiently for the TAS ruling, to which he resorted after being disqualified from the Tour. “For now, it is not possible to indicate when the final decision will be published”said the CAS, which must still select a panel of arbitrators before setting a date for the hearing.
The International Cycling Union (UCI) sanctioned the 32-year-old runner on August 17 and fined him 5,000 Swiss francs (5,104 euros, 5,120 dollars) “for an infringement of the prohibition of the use of tramadol in competition.”
The UCI noted that the two dried blood samples provided by the cyclist were analyzed on July 8 (stage 7) and July 13 (stage 11) during the ‘Grande Boucle’ and revealed the presence of tramadol. The world cycling body alluded to two risks, “progressive dependence” and above all “drowsiness and loss of attention, “which increase the risk of falls in the race”.
After his disqualification from the Tour de France was announced, Nairo Quintana had announced that he would not participate in the Vuelta a España, explaining that he had no “neither the head nor the body to compete”.
Cannabis also prohibited
In addition to the decision with tramadol, the AMA put cannabis on the list of prohibited products. In September 2021, a few weeks after the suspension for this reason of Sha’Carri Richardson, which deprived the American sprint star of participating in the Tokyo Olympics, the agency indicated that it would re-examine the inclusion of cannabis in the list of forbidden substances.
During their meeting, WADA also provisionally waived the non-conformities of the Ukrainian anti-doping agency for reasons of “force majeure” linked to the war. Regarding the Russian situation, the AMA specified that it continued to monitor the Russian agency Rusada to determine if it meets the conditions for reintegration at the end of the two-year period.
In December 2020, Russia was banned for two years from major world competitions, including the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Olympics in 2022, for violating anti-doping rules, the Court of Arbitration for Sport decided. (TAS).
*With information from AFP.