General·International Regulations·WADA
2015 World Anti-Doping Code with 2018 amendments
- In force from
- 2015/01/01
The text of the 2015 Code together with the compliance amendments, in force from 1 April 2018; the 2015 revision introduced human rights and proportionality into the text, and the 2018 amendments added the mechanism for monitoring signatories' compliance.
| In force from | 1 April 2018 |
| Published by | World Anti-Doping Agency |
| Structure | 2015 Code together with the 2018 amendments |
| Status | Superseded — replaced by the text with the 2019 amendments |
What is the World Anti-Doping Code?
The World Anti-Doping Code is the foundational instrument of the global anti-doping system: it defines anti-doping rule violations, sets the burden and standard of proof, sets out sanctions and the conditions for reducing or increasing them, and organises the procedure for results management, hearings and appeals. All International Federations, National Olympic Committees and National Anti-Doping Organisations that have accepted it are required to bring their own rules into line with it; the International Standards — from the Prohibited List to testing, therapeutic use exemptions, results management, education and privacy — set the technical detail of its implementation.
About the 2015 edition with the 2018 amendmentsChanges from 2009
Key changes from the previous edition
- Human rights and the principle of proportionalityThe 2015 edition expressly stated that the Code was drafted having regard to human rights and the principle of proportionality; concepts that had no place in earlier editions and later became the basis of the defence in numerous cases.
- Compliance amendments (2018)The amendments in force from 1 April 2018 introduced the mechanism for monitoring signatories' compliance with the Code into the text; the same mechanism set out in detail in the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories (ISCCS).
- Restructuring of the sanctions regimeThe method of determining the period of ineligibility was rewritten in the 2015 edition, and in place of reliance on "aggravating circumstances" a differentiated regime based on whether the violation was intentional or unintentional was put in place.
Who this document matters to
Every athlete doping case, in any sport, ultimately comes back to this text; the anti-doping rules of the world federations are nothing other than the implementation of this Code in the sport concerned. Three points are decisive in a defence: liability in doping is strict and proof of intent or fault is not required; the burden and standard of proof are defined in the Code itself and are not the same as the criminal standards; and each case is governed by the version that was in force at the time the violation occurred, unless a later version is more favourable to the accused.