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Clean Sport

In association with WADA (the World Anti-Doping Agency) and ITA, the FIE is dedicated to complying with world Clean Sport regulations and helping to educate and inform fencers and coaches about its importance and how to effectively follow Clean Sport requirements. Find out more information about Clean Sport and how it works with fencing: fie.antidoping@ita.sport

6. SUBSTANCES AND METHODS ON THE PROHIBITED LIST

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) produces a list of substances and methods that are banned in sport in the form of the Prohibited List. It is updated at least annually, with the new list taking effect on January 1 of each year.

It is important that Fencers and Fencer Support Personnel are familiar with the Prohibited List and know how to check whether medications are prohibited in sport.

A substance or method can be added to the Prohibited List if it meets two of the following three criteria:

  1. It has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance.
  2. Use of the substance or method represents an actual or potential health risk to the Athlete.
  3. Use of the substance or method violates the spirit of sport.

The prohibited list includes substances and methods that are categorised into three groups:

  1. Substances and methods prohibited at all times
  2. Substances and methods prohibited in-competition
  3. Substances prohibited in particular sports

According to the Code, the in-competition is the period commencing at 11:59 p.m. on the day before a Competition in which the Fencer is scheduled to participate through the end of such Competition and the Sample collection process related to such Competition.

The in-competition period is very important to understand when it relates to substances that are prohibited in-competition. When a substance is prohibited in-competition, it must leave the Fencer’s system by the time the said competition begins. It does not mean that the fencer must stop taking the substance by the time the in-competition period begins. Different substances take different amounts of time to leave the system – Fencers must be extremely careful to make sure that they are not caught with a positive test as a result of taking a substance prohibited in-competition.

Further information on the Prohibited List can be found here.

The 2025 Prohibited List (alongside the Summary of Major Modifications and Explanatory Notes) has been published and can be found here. Use and apply the List from 1 January 2025.

Read the ITA Tramadol & the WADA 2025 Prohibited List article here.

Watch ITA Monthly webinar - What you need to know for 2025 here.