UKAD Statement following WADA advice on COVID-19 vaccines

2020
Coronavirus
Athletes

Following the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) publication of their position on COVID-19 vaccines, UK Anti-Doping (UKAD) have released the following statement.

UKAD’s Head of Science and Medicine, Nick Wojek said, “We welcome the statement made by WADA regarding their position on COVID-19 vaccines. UK athletes should feel confident that they will not be in breach of the World Anti-Doping Code if they receive the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

“The health and wellbeing of athletes is of primary importance to us and we understand the deployment of new vaccines will raise questions from athletes. We will continue to liaise with WADA so that athletes continue to receive the assurances they need about the anti-doping status of new vaccines as they are approved for use.”

Athletes are encouraged to read the WADA guidance here.

Since the outset of the COVID-19 crisis UKAD has been issuing guidance on the steps taken to protect athletes and staff, while keeping sport clean. 

Updated 30 November 2022

Global DRO will continue to be updated as COVID-19 vaccines are approved for clinical use within the UK, thus we encourage athletes and their support personnel to check Global DRO for updates on the anti-doping status of vaccines going forwards.

The eight vaccines currently listed on Global DRO are:

  • Comirnaty Original/Omicron BA.1 vaccine (searchable as ‘COMIRNATY ORIGINAL/OMICRON COVID-19 VACCINE (BIONTECH-PFIZER)’)
  • Janssen vaccine (searchable as ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen’)
  • Moderna vaccine (searchable as 'SPIKEVAX COVID-19 VACCINE (MODERNA)’)
  • Novavax vaccine (searchable as ‘NUVAXOVID COVID-19 VACCINE (NOVAVAX)’)
  • Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine (searchable as ‘VAXZEVRIA COVID-19 VACCINE (ASTRAZENECA)’)
  • Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (searchable as ‘COMIRNATY COVID-19 VACCINE (BIONTECH-PFIZER)’)
  • Spikevax Bivalent Original/Omicron vaccine (searchable as ‘SPIKEVAX BIVALENT ORIGINAL/OMICRON COVID-19 VACCINE (MODERNA)’)
  • Valneva vaccine (searchable as ‘COVID-19 Vaccine Valneva’)

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