The World Anti-Doping Agency intends to add the popular painkiller tramadol to the list of banned substances for athletes in competitions from 2024.
The organisation reached this conclusion after an executive committee meeting in Sydney on Friday and followed recommendations from the body’s advisory group on the list of banned substances. WADA also maintained its ban on cannabis after a review.
“Tramadol abuse, with its dose-dependent risks of physical dependence, opiate addiction and overdoses in the general population, is of concern and has led to it being a controlled drug in many countries,” WADA said in a news release.
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“Research studies funded by WADA have also confirmed the potential for tramadol to enhance physical performance.”
WADA declared that the wait in introducing the ban until 2024 was to allow the communication of the implications of it to athletes, their entourages, and medical staff.
