Stricter Anti-Doping Whereabouts Rules Set for Tennis in 2027
Tennis players will see their anti-doping whereabouts rules tighten in 2027 following updates to the World Anti-Doping Code. The reforms end a long-standing scheduling exemption while introducing restructured testing pools and updated protocols for contamination cases.
Beginning in 2027, updates to the World Anti-Doping Code will require tennis players in the sport's Registered Testing Pool (RTP) to provide a daily 60-minute testing window during competition. The measure brings an end to an exemption previously afforded to tennis because of the unpredictable nature of players' tournament schedules.
The International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA), an independent body dedicated to maintaining fairness in the sport, announced that it will scale down the size of its RTP. Around 80% of players currently in that group will be transitioned into an expanded testing pool, where the daily 60-minute requirement will not be enforced.
According to the ITIA, the athletes remaining in the reduced RTP will need to designate a daily 60-minute time slot both in and out of competition, aligning them with competitors across all sports compliant with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The overall number of players selected across both tiers will remain broadly consistent with current figures, and the agency indicated that testing volume and frequency are unlikely to change.
The updated regulations will also introduce enhanced safeguards for players who can prove a positive test was the result of contamination. Covered scenarios include contamination through medication, food or drink, environmental contact, or exposure to another individual. Furthermore, the framework will offer greater flexibility regarding penalties, allowing for rehabilitation-focused measures in specific cases involving recreational drugs unrelated to athletic performance.
Competitors are scheduled to be informed of their testing pool assignments in November, though the individual classifications will remain confidential. Regardless of their designated pool, all players must provide a sample when requested by a doping control officer, as any refusal carries a potential ban of up to four years.