Anti-Doping Agency: Xenon and Argon on the List of Prohibited Substances

The Anti-Doping Agency of BiH has published the decision of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on the supplement and amendment of part S2.1 of the List of Prohibited Substances for 2014, reports the BiH news agency Patria.

Namely, as of September 1, the gases xenon (Xe) and argon (Ar), which are activators of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF), will be added to the List of Prohibited Substances. This was decided after recent warnings about xenon and its potential doping effects. The beneficial effects of these noble gases include stimulation of erythropoietin, increased cardiorespiratory capacity, prevention of muscle fatigue, increased testosterone levels, and improved athlete mood.

The change will take effect after the mandatory notification period, which lasts for the next three months.