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Is CBD banned in sport?

No. CBD is not on the anti-doping Prohibited List, but THC is banned in competition and CBD products can contain it. Treat CBD as a supplement risk.

Facts checked 13 November 20262 min readHow we research

No. CBD (cannabidiol) is not a banned substance under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List, which most sports follow.1 THC, the compound in cannabis that causes a high, is banned in competition, and CBD products can contain it. That is why Sport Integrity Australia tells athletes to treat CBD as a contamination risk.2

What does the 2026 list say?

Under the 2026 list, which applies until 31 December 2026, cannabinoids are prohibited in competition only, and “All natural and synthetic cannabinoids are prohibited”, with cannabidiol named as the exception.1 WADA warns: “CBD is not prohibited; however … some CBD oils and tinctures extracted from cannabis plants, may also contain THC and other cannabinoids that could result in a positive test.”1

Sport Integrity Australia says the in-competition period starts at 11:59 pm on the day before a competition, and cannabis is tested for in competition only.2

What changes in 2027?

WADA approved the 2027 list on 10 September 2026, to take effect on 1 January 2027. According to summaries from the UK and US anti-doping agencies, only THC and synthetic cannabinoids that mimic it stay prohibited, natural cannabinoids “such as cannabinol (CBN) and cannabigerol (CBG) will no longer be prohibited in 2027”, and CBD stays permitted.34 We did not retrieve WADA’s word-for-word 2027 text.

So “CBD is the only permitted cannabinoid” is true only until 31 December 2026.

What does Sport Integrity Australia say?

  • “CBD (Cannabidiol) is allowed, but athletes should use with caution due to contamination risks. You should treat CBD like a supplement risk.”2
  • “There are currently no batch-tested CBD products available in Australia that meet Sport Integrity Australia’s threshold to be considered ‘low risk’.”5

Its CBD flyer cites a study in which 21% of CBD products contained THC.6

What are the penalties?

According to Sport Integrity Australia, the sanction for cannabis can be up to four years. It can be three months if the use was out of competition and unrelated to performance, and one month with an approved treatment program.2

What about prescribed cannabis medicines?

CBD itself needs no exemption. For a prescribed product containing THC, a Therapeutic Use Exemption is possible under strict criteria.2 In Australia, products with more than 2% cannabinoids other than CBD are Schedule 8, which includes most full-spectrum oils.7 See what is full-spectrum CBD?

Does CBD help recovery?

Small trials have mostly found no meaningful benefit. See does CBD help muscle recovery?

If you are tested, tell your sports doctor before any treatment is chosen, and check the current list each year.

Read the full guide: CBD and sport.

Footnotes

  1. World Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List (2026 list and cannabinoid notes). https://www.wada-ama.org/en/prohibited-list ↩ ↩2 ↩3

  2. Sport Integrity Australia. Cannabis and CBD in sport. https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/node/737 ↩ ↩2 ↩3 ↩4 ↩5

  3. UK Anti-Doping. 2027 Prohibited List: summary of changes. https://www.ukad.org.uk/news/2027-prohibited-list-summary-changes ↩

  4. US Anti-Doping Agency. Athlete advisory: 2027 Prohibited List. https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/athlete-advisory-2027-prohibited-list/ ↩

  5. Sport Integrity Australia. Cannabis and CBD use in sport factsheet. https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/for-you/view-all-resources/cannabis-cbd-use-sport-factsheet ↩

  6. Sport Integrity Australia. CBD flyer. https://www.sportintegrity.gov.au/sites/default/files/SIA321-0624-CBD%20Flyer-A-3%20%5BDIGITAL%5D.pdf ↩

  7. Australian Government. Therapeutic Goods (Poisons Standard, October 2026) Instrument 2026. https://www.legislation.gov.au/F2026L01327/asmade/2026-09-30/text/original/pdf ↩

This page is general information, not medical or legal advice. Laws and evidence change; we show the date we last checked the facts at the top of every page. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before starting, stopping or changing any medicine.

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