The World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has confirmed that weight-loss drugs will not be prohibited under its rules for 2027. However, these substances, known as GLP-1 receptor agonists, will continue to be on the agency's monitoring list.
This decision follows a meeting of Wada's executive committee, as the agency continues to investigate the drugs' potential for performance enhancement and the risk of abuse in sport. The rules are set to take effect in January and are subject to annual review.
Medications such as Ozempic (semaglutide) and Mounjaro (tirzepatide) have become more common outside of elite sports. Semaglutide was added to Wada's monitoring list in 2024, with tirzepatide following this year.
Professor Olivier Rabin, Wada's senior director for science and medicine, has advised athletes to use these drugs with extreme caution and only under medical supervision. He noted that such drugs can cause significant physiological changes, potentially leading to serious side effects and risks for athletes, including nausea, fatigue, and muscle mass loss.
Wada is currently conducting studies to understand the effects of these drugs in conditions that simulate high-level exercise. For a substance to be moved from the monitoring list to the prohibited list, it must meet at least two of three criteria: performance enhancement, health risk, or violation of the spirit of sport.