2027 World Anti-Doping Code - In Force on 1 January 2027
The 2027 edition of the World Anti-Doping Code, in force from 1 January 2027; it created the office of the Independent Review Expert, placed the consequences of Signatory non-compliance within the Code itself, and appreciably expanded the scope of protection for Protected Persons.
| In force from | 1 January 2027 |
| Published by | World Anti-Doping Agency — 2027 edition |
| Structure | Code, 2027 edition |
| Status | Current version — in force from 1 January 2027 |
What is the World Anti-Doping Code?
The World Anti-Doping Code (WADA Code) is the foundational document of the global anti-doping system: it defines doping violations, sets the burden and standard of proof, enumerates the sanctions and the conditions for their reduction and aggravation, 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 conformity with it; the International Standards — from the Prohibited List to sample collection, therapeutic use exemptions, results management, education and privacy — set the technical detail of its implementation.
About the January 2027 editionChanges from 2021
The most important changes from the previous edition
- Independent Review ExpertA new office, the Independent Review Expert, was created, and a category of cases is referred to it for review before proceeding further. This office did not exist in the 2021 edition.
- Consequences of Signatory non-complianceThe Signatory Consequences provisions appear in detail in the Code itself for the first time; previously that detail was found only in the International Standard for Code Compliance by Signatories.
- Expanded protection for Protected PersonsReferences to the Protected Person more than doubled compared with the 2021 edition, and the concept spread from the sanctions provisions across the entire text — from sample collection to results management and notification.
- Strengthened education and whereabouts rulesEducation, with far more references, became one of the explicit pillars of the global programme, and the rules on athlete whereabouts information were also considerably elaborated.
- Legal foundations made explicitThe text emphasises that the Code was drafted with regard to human rights and the principle of proportionality, and lists the rule of law among the objectives of the global programme.
Who this document matters to
Every athlete doping case, in any sport, ultimately comes back to this text; the anti-doping regulations of the international federations are nothing other than the implementation of this Code in that sport. Three points are decisive in the 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 criminal standards; and each case is governed by the edition that was in force at the time of the violation, unless a later edition is more favourable to the person charged.