2027 CODE
Why is the Code changing?
The Code and International Standards are reviewed every 5-6 years. While Code signatories, including sports organizations and public authorities, are consulted on changes to the rules, WADA ultimately has the final decision-making power. Code signatories like USADA are then responsible for implementing and enforcing those rules and regulations.
What is USADA's role?
During the Code feedback process, USADA provided hundreds of recommendations and comments on the Code, International Standards, and the proposed changes. Much of our feedback focused on striking the right balance between an effective and practical anti-doping system, while encouraging WADA not to overregulate. We firmly believe that anti-doping rules have to be both robust and feasible for clean athletes to uphold as part of their everyday lives. Unfortunately, we believe many of the Code changes that were eventually approved only make the system harder and more complicated for athletes without truly improving the detection and deterrence value of the anti-doping system. For example, the new restrictions around DCOs placing phone calls to athletes will make it harder than ever for athletes to document and make themselves available at restricted access locations (like dorms and secure apartment buildings), potentially increase the likelihood of Whereabouts Failures, and decrease the likelihood of completing tests.
While we are obligated to enforce the 2027 Code, USADA is committed to being a resource and support for all athletes who are working to comply with the rules, and we’ve offered our best guidance for navigating these changes below. To voice concerns about the 2027 Code changes and/or any other WADA rules, please contact WADA, your International Federation (IF), and your U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) athlete representative and copy USADA. You can also contact USADA’s Director of Athlete and International Relations, Allison Wagner, at awagner@USADA.org for assistance submitting feedback to WADA.
2027 Code
When does the 2027 Code go into effect?
The changes to the Code and International Standards go into effect on January 1, 2027. Some changes, including the changes around blood wait times, have already gone into effect.
Important Changes
What changes will most impact athlete’s daily efforts to comply with the rules?
While there are many changes represented in the 2027 Code and International Standards, the following section highlights the changes that are most likely to impact athletes’ daily efforts to comply with anti-doping rules.
1. DCOs cannot place phone calls to athletes if the athlete has not been located at their listed location except in the last 5 minutes of the 60-minute time slot.
This means that during the 60-minute time slot, DCOs cannot place phone calls to athletes to gain access to a restricted location or when an athlete isn’t immediately available at the location listed in their Whereabouts information until the last 5 minutes of the test. During those last 5 minutes, a phone call should be placed (but isn’t required) if the athlete has not been located at their listed location. Athletes have the option to provide a preferred app for calls placed by DCOs during this time.
This change is expected to create significant challenges for athletes who live in gated communities, dorms, secure apartment buildings, or other restricted access locations. USADA considers this rule extremely problematic and encourages athletes to share questions or complaints with WADA, their IF, and their USOPC athlete representative and copy USADA.
Outside the 60-minute time slot, athletes should not expect a phone call from a DCO when they cannot locate the athlete at the location listed in their Whereabouts information.
How can athletes make themselves available at restricted access locations?
Athletes should provide all available information necessary for a DCO to access a restricted location, such as building door codes, hotel or dorm room numbers, security gate protocols, leasing office hours, call box protocols, and residence manager information.
Essentially, athletes must be able to demonstrate that they included all available access information in their Whereabouts Filing and that no additional information could reasonably have been provided to enable the DCO to access the location and reach the athlete’s door. All restricted access location instructions must be included in the notes field associated with the location. These notes can be added when creating a new location, either in the athlete’s Address Book or in the location section of a new event entry. These notes can be updated at any time in the athlete’s Address Book. Any one-off notes that only apply to a specific entry or entry series (e.g., travel itinerary) should be added to each new entry (not in the address book).
How should athletes file Whereabouts information to minimize the risk of an unsuccessful test attempt?
All restricted access location instructions must be included in the notes field associated with the location in the athlete’s Address Book in Athlete Connect. Any one-off notes that only apply to a specific entry or entry series (e.g., travel itinerary) should be added to each new entry (not in the address book).
For attempts inside the 60-minute time slot:
- Athletes may adjust their 60-minute time slot to be at a location other than their restricted access residence.
- Athletes must ensure they are available and accessible (e.g., not sleeping) for the entire 60-minute time slot and that their phone is turned on and able to receive calls, in the event the DCO calls during the final 5 minutes of the time slot.
- DCOs are not required to call athletes in the last 5 minutes of the 60-minute time slot. If a DCO does not call, or if the call is not successful, the athlete cannot use those facts to argue against a Whereabouts Failure.
For attempts outside the 60-minute time slot:
- Athletes must be able to demonstrate that they provided all available information necessary to access the restricted access location.
- Athletes must be able to demonstrate that they were at their listed location by providing evidence, such as home security footage, Life360 location data, or food delivery receipts.
Where should athletes enter their app preference for phone calls?
There will be a field under the Profile section in Athlete Connect where athletes can fill in their preferred calling method (e.g., WhatsApp). Please note that a preferred app may not be used if the DCO does not have the preferred phone app (e.g., the athlete prefers FaceTime calls, but the DCO doesn’t have an iPhone).
2. RTP athletes will need to provide a daily Primary Training location or specify they are not training that day.
Specific training times will not be required. Training locations will only need to be updated if the training location is inaccurate or can no longer be used (e.g., because the athlete’s overnight address changes and it is not geographically possible for the athlete to train at that training location).
What is a “primary training” location?
“Primary Training” is the location where you are most likely to train or practice your sport. If you do not have a fixed training location, you will enter the address or coordinates where you normally start and/or finish training. If there are days of the week you don’t train at this location (e.g., Tuesdays and Thursdays), please indicate No Training in the custom interval option and provide a reason in the required field.
What do I do if I’m traveling?
If you are traveling, you will update your Primary Training location for the relevant date range by providing a new training location or indicating No Training and providing a reason in the required field.
There is an option in Athlete Connect to add times – do I need to do that?
Athletes do not need to add times to their Primary Training location even though there is an option to do so in Athlete Connect. If athletes choose to add times, they are not required to keep those times updated if their schedules change.
3. Athletes must upload an accurate passport-style photo of themselves in Athlete Connect. The photo must be updated at least every two years.
Athletes will be prompted to upload or take a passport-style photo by a pop-up window in Athlete Connect. You can dismiss the prompt five times before Athlete Connect will require you to upload or take the photo prior to making any additional Whereabouts edits or submissions. Every two years, the athlete will be prompted by the pop-up window in Athlete Connect to update their photo.
By what date(s) do photos need to be uploaded?
Athletes won’t be able to save their quarterly Whereabouts filing until a passport photo is uploaded (or updated as required every two years). The first deadline will be March 15, 2027, unless otherwise notified.
Are there any specific requirements for the photos?
Photos should be taken against plain backdrops and athletes shouldn’t be wearing eyeglasses or hats. Athlete Connect will also require the following:
- Photo must be a JPG, JPEG, PNG, or GIF.
- Photo cannot be larger than 5 MB.
- Photo cannot be smaller than 600 x 600 pixels.
If the photo doesn’t meet one or more of these requirements, the athlete will be notified of which criteria were not met.
How do I upload my passport photo into Athlete Connect?
Athletes will be prompted to visit the Profile section of the application and may upload an existing photo or take a new photo via the app.
Can USADA or my NGB upload my photo for me?
Only the athlete will have the functionality needed to upload the passport-style photo, but USADA can be reached for support at AthleteConnect@USADA.org.
4. International Federations (IFs) must process Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUEs) for all international-level athletes.
Beginning in 2027, any international-level athlete (ILA) who does not already have an approved TUE by USADA registered in ADAMS, will be required to apply to their IF for any new TUE. If an ILA has an approved TUE through USADA, it will be automatically recognized by their IF UNLESS WADA has granted the IF an exemption from automatic recognition. In that case, USADA will notify the athlete and forward their approved TUE to their IF for processing and an approval decision.
How do I know if I’m an international-level athlete?
If you are in a Registered Testing Pool (RTP) for an IF, you are considered an international-level athlete. If you are not in the IF’s registered testing pool but you are competing in an International Event (which may make you an ILA), go to the ITA TUE Assistant and follow the prompts to determine if your TUE needs to be sent to your IF. If your sport is not managed by the ITA, contact your IF or USADA for assistance in determining whether you are an ILA.
Can I still contact USADA for initial support?
We encourage athletes of any level to contact USADA to confirm their athlete status and TUE authority. USADA is ready to assist with any TUEs that ILAs may need to submit to their IF. USADA can help athletes and support personnel route TUEs to the appropriate IF (or ITA on behalf of an IF), especially if athletes don’t have their own ADAMS account.
Is there anything new I need to consider since my TUE will go to my International Federation instead of USADA?
Since IF TUE Committees may not have physicians who understand the nuances of every medical system around the world, it’s important to ensure that all information required by the WADA TUE Physician Guidelines is included in the application OR that there’s a justifiable rationale for why not. Additionally, since most IFs are located in Europe and serving athletes worldwide, you will need to consider the time difference and potential for a delayed response if you have a question.
5. If an athlete would like to challenge a Whereabouts Failure, they no longer will be able to do so after each individual Whereabouts Failure is declared through an administrative review.
Athletes will still have a chance to challenge active Whereabouts Failures during a full evidentiary hearing if three Whereabouts Failures are accumulated in a rolling 12-month period.
Is there anything athletes can do after receiving a Whereabouts Failure?
When an athlete is notified of a potential Whereabouts Failure, they should respond by providing an explanation and supporting documentation that explains why they believe a Whereabouts Failure should not be recorded. This is the athlete’s opportunity to challenge the alleged Whereabouts Failure.
A timely response before the final decision on an individual Whereabouts Failure is important because it allows the athlete to gather and submit relevant information while it is still available and while relevant details remain fresh. If the athlete waits to respond until receiving a third Whereabouts Failure, relevant information may no longer be available, or the athlete may no longer recall important details from the time the Whereabouts Failure was declared.
Once a final decision has been made to record the Whereabouts Failure, the athlete will not have another opportunity to challenge that individual failure unless they receive a third Whereabouts Failure within a 12-month period. At that time, the athlete may choose to challenge any or all of the Whereabouts Failures at a hearing.
How can athletes best engage with USADA if they receive three Whereabouts Failures in a 12-month period?
Once an athlete receives three Whereabouts Failures, USADA will contact the athlete via email with a notification of a potential Anti-Doping Rule Violation. Athletes will be given the opportunity to provide a written response, and they should pay close attention to the response deadlines outlined in USADA’s notice. Athletes should also remember that, if included in a testing pool, they must continue to update their Whereabouts information and be available for testing even after they have received three Whereabouts Failures.
Are there more Code and International Standard changes that impact athletes?
Yes, there are many more changes that impact athletes subject to anti-doping rules. A list of noteworthy changes, broken down by document, is below.
The Code
Retirement
- ADOs and WADA may impose conditions for an exemption to the six-month return from retirement testing period like a minimum number of tests or restricting which competitions the athlete can compete in.
TUES
- Regardless of the competition level, athletes must comply with highest level of rigor for TUE process.
- IFs must process TUEs for all international-level athletes.
Provisional Suspensions
- Not applicable to substances of abuse.
- Can be lifted if likely to result in a finding of no anti-doping rule violation; a no fault or negligence finding; a reprimand with no period of ineligibility because positive test was caused by contaminated source (burden on athlete).
- Lifted if provisional suspension exceeds period of ineligibility asserted in charging letter.
Sanctions
- Use Violation
- Athletes cannot receive an ADRV for using prohibited substances at a time when they were not bound by the rules.
- MEOs can determine what is an appropriate period of time they will require athletes to be subject to the anti-doping rules prior to the competition.
- Presence Violation (i.e. a positive test)
- Athletes are subject to ADRVs if they test positive for a substance, regardless of when they took it (even if they were not bound by the rules when they took it).
- Presence violations cannot be excused just because presence is residual from a prior violation, which means that even after serving a period of ineligibility, if the prohibited substance remains in the athlete’s system, the athlete will continue to receive violations (No Fault) and have results disqualified if positive sample collected in-competition.
- Athletes are subject to ADRVs if they test positive for a substance, regardless of when they took it (even if they were not bound by the rules when they took it).
- No fault cases are not published unless disqualification of results occurred or for compelling reasons.
- All sanction publications can be delayed until after appeal completed.
- Minimum sanction raised from one-month to a flat two-month period of ineligibility for all first offenses for substances of abuse where athlete can establish that ingestion occurred out of competition and was not related to sport performance.
- Mandatory two-month sanction for athletes who cannot get a retroactive TUE but who receive a prospective TUE (except for provisino related to permitted alternatives).
- 25% reduction for acceptance of sanction within 20 days of being charged where the asserted period of ineligibility is four years or less. Where the asserted period of ineligibility is greater than four years, the reduction for acceptance of responsibility is a reduction of one year.
- Up to 15% reduction for providing valuable information that does not otherwise qualify as substantial assistance.
- Athletes serving a sanction cannot coach other athletes.
- For Non–Specified Substances:
- Sanction default of four years
- If athlete can establish source and unrelated to sport performance, sanction is three years.
- If athlete is unable to establish source but establishes non-intentional via “scientific evidence,” sanction is two years.
International Standard for Testing
- The quarterly Whereabouts filing deadline is the 15th day of the last month of each quarter. Failure to meet the quarterly Whereabouts filing deadline is ground for a Whereabouts Failure or Compliance Warning.
- Athletes must upload a passport-style photo of themselves in Athlete Connect. The photo must be updated every two years.
- RTP athletes will need to provide a daily primary training location or specify they are not training that day. Specific times are not required. Training locations will only need to be updated if the training location is inaccurate or can no longer be used (e.g., because the athlete’s overnight address changes and it is not geographically possible for the athlete to train at that training location).
- Absent very limited circumstances, DCOs cannot place phone calls to athletes except in the last 5 minutes of the 60-minute time slot if the athlete has not been located at their listed location.
- Athletes have the option to provide a preferred app for calls placed by DCOs during this time.
- The wait time after exercise for a blood draw is now 60 minutes (already in effect as of April 2026).
- Minor athletes and athletes with visual or intellectual impairments may have a representative present via video call (the call cannot be recorded).
International Standard for Results Management
- If an athlete would like to challenge a Whereabouts Failure, they no longer will be able to do so after each individual Whereabouts Failure is declared through an administrative review panel. They will still have a chance to challenge the Whereabouts Failure during the ADRV results management process if three Whereabouts Failures are accumulated.
International Standard for Intelligence and Investigations
- The requirement to disclose the identity of a confidential human source to WADA has been removed.
- If an ADO decides not to pursue an ADRV because an athlete cooperated with an investigation, this must be reported to WADA, which may then appeal.
International Standard for Therapeutic Use Exemptions
- When a NADO grants a TUE, it is automatically recognized by other NADOs, IFs, and MEOs.
- Upon request, WADA may grant exceptions to IFs or MEOs to not allow automatic recognition of TUEs from NADOs.
- Athletes may have multiple TUEs for different substances but cannot apply for a TUE for the same substance through multiple ADOs.
- The ADO that granted the TUE is responsible for the ongoing monitoring of the TUE.
- The duration of any TUE should equal the duration of treatment, not to exceed the maximum duration established in the appropriate WADA TUE Physician Guidelines.