International Standards

The World Anti-Doping Code (Code) is the core document that harmonizes anti-doping policies, rules and regulations within sport organizations and among public authorities around the world.

It works in conjunction with the eight, mandatory, International Standards and 12, non-mandatory, Guidelines.

International Standards

The purpose of the International Standards is harmonization among Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) responsible for specific technical and operational parts of anti-doping programs. Adherence to the International Standards is mandatory for compliance with the Code.

The International Standards for different technical and operational areas are developed in consultation with the Code Signatories and governments and approved by WADA. The International Standards may be revised from time to time by WADA’s Executive Committee after reasonable consultation with Signatories, governments and other relevant stakeholders.

The eight International Standards include:

• Code Compliance by Signatories
• Education
• Prohibited List
• Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
• Testing and Investigations
• Laboratories
• Results Management
• Protection of Privacy and Personal Information

Guidelines

Guidelines provide Signatories with recommended practices for several aspects of anti-doping. These Guidelines are not mandatory, but offer technical guidance to ADOs in the implementation of programs. As with the Code and the International Standards, under the World Anti-Doping Program, the Guidelines are subject to ongoing review and reassessment.

WADA encourages feedback on the content of the Guidelines, and recommends that stakeholders always consult this Web site for the latest version.

• Athlete Biological Passport (ABP) Operating Guidelines

• Guidelines for Education

• Guidelines for Results Management
• Guidelines for Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs)
• Guidelines for Privacy
• Guidelines for Sample Collection
• Guidelines for Gathering Information and Sharing Intelligence
• Guidelines for Implementing an Effective Testing Program
• Guidelines for Sample Collection Personnel

• Guidelines for Testing during a Pandemic

• Laboratory Guidelines - Analytical Requirements for the Endocrine Module of the Athlete Biological Passport
• Laboratory Guidelines: Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Biomarkers Test

• Laboratory Guidelines - Quantification of Endogenous Steroids in Blood for the Athlete Biological Passport

• Laboratory Guidelines: TUE Enquiries by Accredited Laboratories
• Laboratory Guidelines: Conducting and Reporting Subcontracted Analysis and Further Analysis for Doping Control
• Laboratory Guidelines: Gene Doping Detection based on Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR)

Laboratory Technical Documents and Technical Letters

Under the International Standard for Laboratories (ISL), WADA issues Technical Documents and Technical Letters to provide direction to WADA-accredited laboratories, WADA-approved laboratories for the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP), and other stakeholders.

Technical Documents provide direction on specific technical or procedural issues.

Technical Letters provide direction on particular issues regarding the analysis, interpretation and reporting of results for specific prohibited substance(s) and/or prohibited method(s) or on the application of specific laboratory procedures.

Technical Documents and Technical Letters are mandatory under the ISL. You can find the complete list of all Technical Documents and Technical Letters below: 

Technical Documents

TDIndex

TD2023APMU - Athlete Passport Management Unit Requirements and Procedures
TD2021BAR - Analytical Requirements for the Hematological Module of the Athlete Biological Passport
TD2021CG/LH - Analysis, Reporting & Management of Urinary Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) Findings in Male Athletes
TD2023DBS - Dried Blood Spots (DBS) for Doping Control Requirements and Procedures for Collection, Transport, Analytical Testing and Storage
TD2022DL - Decision Limits for the Confirmatory Quantification of Exogenous Threshold Substances by Chromatography-based Analytical Methods
TD2022IRMS - Detection of Synthetic Forms of Prohibited Substances by GC/C/IRMS
TD2021EAAS - Measurement and Reporting of Endogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroid (EAAS) Markers of the Urinary Steroid Profile
TD2021NA - Harmonization of Analysis and Reporting of 19-Norsteroids Related to Nandrolone
TD2024EPO - Harmonization of Analysis and Reporting of Erythropoietin (EPO) and other EPO-Receptor Agonists (ERAs) by Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoretic (PAGE) Analytical Methods
TD2021GH - Human Growth Hormone (hGH) Isoform Differential Immunoassays for Doping Control Analyses
TD2023IDCR - Minimum Criteria for Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Confirmation of the Identity of Analytes for Doping Control Purposes
TD2023LDOC - Laboratory Documentation Package
TD2021LCOC - Laboratory Internal Chain of Custody
TD2022MRPL - Minimum Required Performance Levels and Applicable Minimum Reporting Levels for Non-Threshold Substances Analyzed by Chromatographic-Mass Spectrometric Analytical Methods

Recently Approved Versions of Technical Documents - In force on 1 January 2026

TD2026DBS - Dried Blood Spots (DBS) for Doping Control Requirements and Procedures for Analytical Testing and Sample Storage
TD2026HBT - Detection of Homologous Blood Transfusion (HBT) by Flow Cytometry

Technical Letters

TLIndex

TL01 - Meclofenoxate
TL02 - Mebeverine Metabolism
TL04 - Zeranol
TL05 - Oxilofrine
TL06 - Possible Metabolism of Proguanil into Chlorazanil
TL07 - Andarine - Flutamide
TL08 - Use of Internal Standards
TL09 - Oxethazaine
TL10 - In situ Formation of Exogenous Compounds
TL11 - Oxymorphone
TL12 - Enobosarm
TL13 - Trimetazidine
TL14 - Difference in “A” and “B” Sample Urine Characteristics
TL15 - Hydromorphone
TL16 - Tretoquinol
TL17 - Detection of Tulobuterol in the presence of Bupropion
TL18 - Testolactone
TL20 - Specific substances with a steroid structure
TL21 - 6-oxo and metabolites
TL22 - Ethylmorphine
TL23 - Growth Promoters (meat contaminants)
TL24 - Diuretics (contaminants of pharmaceutical products)
TL25 - Tramadol

Recently Approved Versions of Technical Letters - In force on 1 January 2026

TL26 - Clomifene