WADA allows Ozempic, Mounjaro use under 2027 anti-doping rules

The logo of the World Anti-Doping Agency (AP)

New Delhi: Athletes using popular weight-loss drugs Ozempic and Mounjaro can continue taking them under anti-doping rules, with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) retaining the substances on its monitoring programme rather than adding them to the updated prohibited list.

The 2027 list comes into effect on Jan 1 and will apply globally to signatories of the World Anti-Doping Code, including Indian athletes governed by the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA).Ozempic, Mounjaro and similar drugs belong to the GLP-1 receptor agonist class, widely used for weight management and diabetes treatment. WADA senior director of science and medicine Olivier Rabin cautioned athletes against using the drugs without professional supervision, warning that their substantial physiological effects could carry serious risks.“The prohibited list expert advisory group and the ExCo considered the status of GLP-1 receptor agonists carefully,” Rabin said, adding that existing evidence was insufficient to justify a ban. WADA has commissioned further research to establish their effects.

According to WADA, for a substance to be prohibited, it must meet at least two of three criteria: potential performance enhancement, health risks to athletes or violation of the spirit of sport.

The 2027 list also explicitly permits vaginal administration of glucocorticoids, while other routes remain subject to restrictions. Cannabidiol (CBD) continues to be permitted, although primary psychoactive compounds found in cannabis (marijuana, hashish, cocaine) remain prohibited in competition.