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WADA publishes Guidelines on the Process for an Anti-Doping Organization to Opt Out of Automatic Recognition of TUEs

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The World Anti-Doping Organization (WADA) is pleased to publish Guidelines on the Process for an Anti-Doping Organization (ADO) to Opt Out of Automatic Recognition of Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs).

Background

On 19 December 2025, WADA published the 2027 World Anti-Doping Code (Code) and International Standards (Standards), following their approval on 5 December by the Agency’s Foundation Board and Executive Committee respectively, at WADA’s sixth World Conference on Doping in Sport in Busan, Republic of Korea. This approval was the culmination of the 2027 Code and Standards Update Process, which spanned more than two years and consisted of a series of consultation phases during which stakeholders and athletes provided comments on key concepts and subsequent drafts of the proposed 2027 Code and Standards.

One outcome of this update is the introduction of the default automatic recognition position of TUEs in the 2027 International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (ISTUE). As per ISTUE Article 7.2, “unless WADA has granted an exception under Article 7.2(b), all TUE decisions that are made pursuant to Code Article 4.4 and are reported in accordance with Article 5.9 will be automatically recognized by the International Federation or Major Event Organization.” These guidelines have been developed in response to this change, providing a structured resource for ADOs seeking to require athletes to submit applications for recognition. Please note that while this is tied to the 2027 ISTUE, ADOs can apply to WADA now.

Guidelines
 
The Guideline establishes a formal process and evidentiary requirements for an International Federation (IF) and Major Event Organization (MEO) seeking to opt out of the automatic recognition of TUEs pursuant to the ISTUE Article 7.2(b) and Code Article 4.4.

The overarching objective of this process is to:

  • Safeguard harmonization under the Code and ISTUE;
  • Ensure that any departure from automatic recognition preserves trust, quality, and consistency across jurisdictions; and
  • Maintain the highest level of medical, procedural, and ethical integrity in TUE decision-making.

Opting out of automatic recognition is considered an exception to the principle of harmonization and must therefore be justified by clear, objective, and proportionate grounds. At the outset, WADA emphasizes the discretionary nature of granting an exemption to automatic recognition under ISTUE Article 7.2(b). The guidelines are therefore indicative only and do not constitute a set of mandatory rules; WADA reserves its right to consider any element not mentioned in the guidelines.

Consult the Guidelines here.

Should you have any questions, please contact medical@wada-ama.org.