Starting January 1, 2025, UAE athletes will be permitted to donate blood or other blood components as the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) has relaxed certain restrictions in its latest guidelines.
Wada, an international organization that spearheads the global fight against doping in sports, recently unveiled its 2025 list of restrictions and prohibited substances. The UAE's National Anti-Doping Agency (Nada) has confirmed that athletes in the country will soon have access to these updated guidelines.
Nada highlighted some of the significant changes introduced by Wada. One of the key changes is that blood donation and other blood component donations are no longer prohibited, provided the procedure is carried out at an accredited collection center within a recognized healthcare facility in the country. Previously, such donations were not allowed due to concerns that the process could be associated with 'blood doping,' a practice where blood is artificially enhanced to boost an athlete's performance. The restriction was in place because during blood donation, certain components like red blood cells could be removed and reintroduced into the body, potentially aiding performance enhancement. However, according to the new Wada guidelines, as explained by the US Anti-Doping Agency (Usada), this process is now permitted solely for donation purposes.
Another notable change pertains to the maximum allowable use of 'inhaled formoterol,' a steroid medication used to treat asthma and other respiratory conditions. Formoterol remains permissible for inhalation up to a maximum of 54mcg over 24 hours, but importantly, athletes are now restricted to using a maximum of 36mcg over 12 hours. This adjustment aims to allow athletes to use formoterol therapeutically while preventing the misuse of large doses that could confer a performance advantage.
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