Athlete Zone
Everything you need to know as a competitive bowler in Ireland. Know your rights, your responsibilities, and the resources available to you.
2026 Prohibited List
Effective 1 January 2026 · Published by WADA
The World Anti-Doping Agency publishes the Prohibited List annually. It identifies substances and methods prohibited in-competition, out-of-competition, and in particular sports. All bowlers are responsible for knowing what is on the list.
Prohibited at All Times
- S1 Anabolic Agents
- S2 Peptide Hormones, Growth Factors & Mimetics
- S3 Beta-2 Agonists
- S4 Hormone & Metabolic Modulators
- S5 Diuretics & Masking Agents
Prohibited Methods
- M1 Blood Manipulation
- M2 Chemical & Physical Manipulation
- M3 Gene & Cell Doping
In-Competition Only
- S6 Stimulants
- S7 Narcotics
- S8 Cannabinoids
- S9 Glucocorticoids
Check Your Medications
All athletes must check every over-the-counter and prescription medication before use. Even common cold remedies can contain prohibited substances. Use the databases below to verify your medications.
Medcheck Ireland
For medications available in the Republic of Ireland
medcheck.sportireland.ie open_in_newGlobal DRO
For medications available in Northern Ireland & UK
globaldro.com open_in_newImportant: If your medication does not appear in either database, do not take it. Contact Sport Ireland directly at antidoping@sportireland.ie for guidance.
Supplements & Herbal Remedies
Sport Ireland recommends against supplement use. A correct, balanced diet provides all the benefits an athlete needs.
Using supplements carries a risk of inadvertent doping. Under the strict liability principle, athletes are responsible for everything they ingest — even if a positive test results from a contaminated product. This can result in a ban of up to four years.
If You Do Use Supplements
Need
Consult a qualified sports dietician before taking any supplement.
Risk
Research the product thoroughly. Screenshot your findings for records.
Consequences
A contaminated product can lead to a potential four-year ban.
Therapeutic Use Exemptions (TUE)
Athletes with legitimate medical conditions may need to use prohibited substances or methods. A TUE allows this, provided strict criteria are met.
Four Mandatory Criteria
There is a clear, diagnosed medical condition requiring treatment with the prohibited substance or method.
Therapeutic use will not produce performance enhancement beyond returning to normal health.
It is the indicated treatment with no reasonable permitted therapeutic alternative.
The need is not a consequence of prior unauthorised use of a prohibited substance.
Registered Testing Pool Athletes
Must apply to Sport Ireland at least 30 days before competition. Submit via password-protected email to tue@sportireland.ie or through ADAMS.
Non-RTP Athletes
May apply retroactively after testing, or to the relevant International Federation. Contact Tenpin Ireland or Sport Ireland for guidance.
Decisions are typically made within 21 days. All application expenses are borne by the athlete.
Athlete Whereabouts
Athletes in the Registered Testing Pool (RTP) must provide quarterly whereabouts information so they can be located for out-of-competition testing. Two types of failure can occur:
Filing Failure
Failure to submit quarterly whereabouts by the deadline. May result in penalties and potential funding loss.
Missed Test
Failure to be available at the specified location during the designated 60-minute window. May result in penalties and potential funding loss.
Three whereabouts failures within a 12-month period constitute an anti-doping rule violation. Whereabouts are submitted through the ADAMS system. For account activation, contact Michael McNulty at mmcnulty@sportireland.ie.
CBD Advisory Note
While CBD itself is not prohibited, CBD products may contain other cannabinoids including THC, which is banned in-competition. The purity and content of CBD products is not reliably regulated. Athletes using CBD products do so at their own risk.