WADA releases four Laboratory Technical Documents for 2022

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) publishes today the following revised Technical Documents (TDs) for 2022 and Summaries of Modifications, which were approved by WADA’s Executive Committee, via circulatory vote, on 6 October 2021.

Under the International Standard for Laboratories, WADA’s TDs are issued to provide direction to WADA-accredited Laboratories, WADA-approved Laboratories for the Athlete Biological Passport, and other stakeholders, on specific technical or procedural issues. As part of WADA’s mandate to enhance anti-doping activities under the World Anti-Doping Code, TDs undergo periodic revisions to reflect scientific and technological advances in the performance of anti-doping tests and the reporting of test results. They are refined and revised in consultation with WADA stakeholders.

2022 TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS

Please note that all WADA-accredited Laboratories are required to implement the following TDs in their procedures by 1 January 2022:

1. TD2022EPO: This TD relates to the harmonization of analysis and reporting of erythropoietin (EPO) and other erythropoietin-receptor agonists (ERAs) by polyacrylamide gel electrophoretic (PAGE) analytical methods. It replaces the current TD2021EPO v2.0. In this new version of the TD, an Annex B has been included, which describes the existence of a minor EPO gene variant that is present in a minor percentage (< 1%) of individuals with East Asian ancestry and provides further guidance for the management and reporting of recombinant EPO (recEPO) findings.

2. TD2022MRPL: This TD relates to the minimum required performance levels (MRPLs) and applicable minimum reporting levels (MRLs) for non-threshold substances analyzed by chromatographic-mass spectrometric analytical methods. It replaces the current TD2019MRPL. In this new version of the TD, important changes have been incorporated, including among others:

• the concept of MRL for some non-threshold substances;
• the difference between MRPL and MRL;
• the adjustment of concentrations of target analyte(s) of non-threshold substances with an MRL with specific gravity > 1.018;
• revised requirements for reporting an Adverse Analytical Finding (AAF) for non-threshold substances subject to an MRL, including the use of an internal standard, of a single-point calibrator at 120% MRL, and of a quality control sample at MRL;
• the definition of new MRLs for some substances (e.g., growth promoters (as per WADA Technical Letter 23); some diuretics/contaminants (as per WADA Technical Letter 24); vilanterol (a beta-2 agonist); dextran, mannitol and probenecid (masking agents); the cocaine parent compound; and some glucocorticoids).

3. TD2022DL: This TD relates to the decision limits for the confirmatory quantification of exogenous threshold substances by chromatography-based analytical methods. It replaces the current TD2021DL. This new version of the TD DL has been modified to make it consistent with the TD2022MRPL regarding the reporting of findings for threshold substances (namely salbutamol, formoterol, cathine, ephedrine, methylephedrine and pseudoephedrine) when detected in conjunction with a diuretic subject to an MRL, or in the presence of any other diuretic or a masking agent. Further clarifications are provided in cases where there is an approved Therapeutic Use Exemption for the diuretic and/or the threshold substance. In addition, it has been clarified that, for cathine, the threshold of 5.00 μg/mL and decision limit of 6.00 μg/mL are applicable to cathine and its l-enantiomer.

4. TD2022IRMS: This TD relates to the detection of synthetic forms of prohibited substances by gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC/C/IRMS). It replaces the current TD2021IRMS v2.0. In this new version of the TD IRMS, prednisone and prednisolone have been removed as target compounds for GC/C/IRMS analysis. This decision has been triggered by the revised, higher MRLs defined for these two glucocorticoids in the TD2022MRPL, which make GC/C/IRMS analysis unnecessary for reporting AAFs at levels higher than the MRL. In addition, further clarifications are provided on the use of secondary endogenous reference compounds.

The above TDs are available and indexed on WADA’s website.

Should you have any questions or comments regarding the 2022 Technical Documents, please do not hesitate to contact WADA’s Science Department at: science@wada-ama.org.