While CBD will be permitted next year, the WADA notes that CBD extracted from the cannabis plant may also contain varying concentrations of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which remains a prohibited substance. This means that athletes will need to exercise extreme caution when taking CBD products to ensure that they contain zero trace of THC. Extensive drug testing will be in place to ensure that there are no trace amounts of the banned psychoactive cannabinoid.
In 2015, the WADA tested over 300,000 athletes worldwide with around 4% showing signs of cannabinoids in their system, which under previous regulations included CBD and would automatically disqualify any athlete testing positive. Under the new regulations, even trace amounts of THC could disqualify athletes, which makes it important to ensure that any CBD products consumed contain absolutely no THC content.