GLP-1 WADA Status 2027: Is Ozempic or Mounjaro Banned?

Is Ozempic or Mounjaro banned by WADA? No. GLP-1 drugs are not banned in sport for 2027. WADA's 2027 Prohibited List, which takes effect on January 1, 2027, leaves semaglutide (Ozempic, Wegovy, Rybelsus) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro, Zepbound) off the banned list. Both stay on the Monitoring Program. That means labs track them in tests, but athletes who take them face no penalty.

The topic is back in the news. On October 27, 2026, The Times of India reported that WADA allows Ozempic and Mounjaro under its 2027 rules. The decision itself was made in September. Here is what it says, what "monitoring" means and what is still open.

GLP-1 WADA status for 2027: what changed and what did not

WADA's Executive Committee approved the 2027 list on September 10, 2026, and WADA published it in late September. The main changes were about cannabinoids, glucocorticoids and beta-blockers. GLP-1 drugs were reviewed, but their status did not change.

WADA said the status of GLP-1 receptor agonists "will remain unchanged in 2027 while further data is collected" on their effects in athletes.

What the WADA Monitoring Program means for athletes

The Monitoring Program is a watch list, not a ban list. WADA-accredited labs look for these drugs in samples taken in and out of competition. The goal is to see how often athletes use them and in which sports.

For you as an athlete, that means:

• A positive result is not a violation. You will not be suspended for an approved GLP-1.
• You do not need a TUE. USADA says plainly that athletes do not need a Therapeutic Use Exemption for any GLP-1.
• Your use may be counted in anonymous data. That data is part of what WADA will use to decide on future rules.

Being monitored is not a promise of anything. Some monitored drugs were later banned, and others were dropped from the program. For 2027, WADA removed several substances from monitoring because it found they were no longer a concern.

Why WADA did not ban Ozempic and Mounjaro

A drug goes on the WADA list when it meets two of three tests: it can boost performance, it poses a health risk to athletes, or it goes against the spirit of sport.

WADA science director Olivier Rabin said the expert group and the Executive Committee looked at GLP-1 drugs carefully. He said there was "insufficient evidence to conclude with confidence" that they meet those criteria. WADA has one sport-related study running and has launched a second one on how these drugs affect athletes. Rabin said WADA expects these studies to give it the data needed for a firm decision.

So the question stays open. A future list could change the answer, and each new list is approved every September and starts the next January.

Is retatrutide banned by WADA?

This is where athletes get into trouble. Retatrutide is an Eli Lilly drug still in trials. It is not approved anywhere. WADA's S0 class bans, at all times, any drug that is not covered by another part of the list and has no approval for human use from any government health authority. That includes drugs still in clinical trials and "research peptides."

That means a product sold online as retatrutide, or other gray-market peptides, can carry a doping risk that Ozempic and Mounjaro do not. It also carries health risks, because nobody checks what is in the vial. Our guide on whether retatrutide is legal covers the rules outside sport, and our compounded GLP-1 guide explains the risks of unapproved versions. Ask your anti-doping agency before you take anything that is not an approved medicine.

GLP-1 use in athletes: what to watch

Not being banned does not mean a GLP-1 is right for every athlete. USADA points out that appetite loss can make it hard to eat enough, and it lists side effects like nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and belly pain. For someone who trains a lot, eating too little can mean slower recovery and lost muscle.

Things to talk about with your prescriber and sports staff:

1. Why you are taking it. These drugs are approved for type 2 diabetes, weight management and some heart, kidney and sleep apnea uses. Using one only to "make weight" is a medical decision, not a training choice.
2. Fuel around training. Plan meals and snacks around hard sessions, even when you are not hungry.
3. Protein every day. Protein helps protect muscle while you lose weight. Our protein target guide shows how to set a number.
4. Strength work. Lifting is the best signal to your body to keep muscle. See cardio vs strength on GLP-1.

If keeping muscle is your main worry, Sharpy gives you one daily protein target, a 20-minute strength workout and a Shape Score that shows if you are losing fat and not muscle.

Other rules: leagues, colleges and your own federation

WADA rules cover Olympic sports and any federation that follows the World Anti-Doping Code. Pro leagues, colleges and some events have their own lists and testing. A drug that WADA allows is not always allowed everywhere. Check with your league, team doctor or national anti-doping agency, such as USADA in the US, before a competition.

The bottom line

For 2027, Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro, Zepbound and other approved GLP-1 drugs are allowed in WADA sport, with no TUE needed. WADA is still watching them and studying them, so the answer could change in a later year. Unapproved peptides such as retatrutide are a real doping and health risk. If you are on a GLP-1 and still training, Sharpy helps you hit your protein and keep your strength while the weight comes off.

Sources

• WADA publishes 2027 Prohibited List (International Handball Federation, Sep 28, 2026), with links to the WADA list, summary of modifications and 2027 Monitoring Program
• WADA publishes 2027 Prohibited List (International Paralympic Committee, Oct 8, 2026)
• World Anti-Doping Agency published its 2027 list of banned substances and methods (Athletics Illustrated, Sep 28, 2026)
• Weight Loss Drugs: What athletes need to know about GLP-1s (USADA)
• GLP-1RAs monitored at 2026 Winter Olympics (EMJ Reviews)
• S0: Non-approved substances (German Sport University Cologne)
• WADA 2027 Prohibited List (WADA)