Russian sporting federations have posted warnings about new substances added to the World Anti-Doping Agency’s (WADA) 2017 Prohibited List, which comes into force on 1 January. A summary of the major additions is available here. The main substance of concern in Russia appears to be arimistane (Androsta-3,5-diene-7,17-dione), a aromatase inhibitor that appears to be a common ingredient in sporting supplements.

On 1 December, the Russian swimming federation (BON) issued a specific warning regarding arimistane on its internet site, listing nine examples of supplements where it is listed as one of the ingredients. ‘It is necessary to stop taking this substance in advance of 1 January 2017, as detection of this substance will then constitute a violation of anti-doping rules’, reads BON’s statement. The same warning was also posted by the Russian Rowing Slalom Federation on 5 December; by the The Russian Canoe Sport Federation on 7 December; by the Sevastopol Boxing Federation on 9 December; and by the Russian Wheelchair DanceSport Federation.

The Russian Anti-Doping Agency (RUSADA) warned athletes about arimistane, higenamine and 5α-androst-2-ene-17-one, commonly known as ‘Delta-2’ or 2-androstenone, another substance commonly found in supplements on 9 December. It later followed that up with a more specific warning regarding arimistane on its Facebook page.

Arimistane featured up in the email evidence package (PDF below) that underpinned part two of the WADA Independent Person (IP) Report, published by Richard McLaren on 9 December. An email sent on 31 March 2014 lists one male and five female speed skaters competing at an event in Chelyabinsk on 18 March 2014 as having ‘small amounts of the metabolite’ of arimistane present in their samples. The emails also reveal that a Russian football player’s sample revealed the presence of arimistane at the U17 European Championships in 2014.

Arimistane was not prohibited in 2014 and will not be prohibited until 2017, however it is understood that Russia is keen to avoid a repeat of the meldonium madness that occurred earlier this year. A number of athletes from eastern European countries – including Russia – were caught out by meldonium’s addition to the 2016 Prohibited List, as our table below illustrates.