To be placed on WADA’s Prohibited List, a substance has to meet two of the three following criteria:

  1. Its use has potential to, or can enhance performance.
  2. Its use presents an actual or potential health risk.
  3. Its use violates the spirit of sport.

The Prohibited List takes into account the relative performance-enhancing impact of various substances, and treats steroids, hormones, some stimulants, and all prohibited methods more strictly, by enforcing a two-year mandatory suspension.