ITIA: Tennis Anti-Doping Whereabouts Rules to Change From January 2027

Starting January 2027, professional tennis players will lose a longstanding exemption from strict anti-doping whereabouts requirements during tournaments, the International Tennis Integrity Agency said on Wednesday.

Whereabouts Rules Align With Global Anti-Doping Standards

Under upcoming adjustments to the World Anti-Doping Code, athletes registered in a sport’s Registered Testing Pool must submit a daily 60-minute testing window during competition periods. Tennis historically avoided this mandate because fluctuating match schedules and weather delays made precise daily planning difficult for competitors. The independent International Tennis Integrity Agency confirmed that the scheduling exemption ends in January 2027.

To balance the tighter tournament requirements, the organization plans to decrease the size of its Registered Testing Pool. Approximately 80 percent of athletes currently listed in that primary group will shift to an expanded testing pool where the daily 60-minute requirement does not apply. Competitors remaining in the reduced group must provide the daily time slot both in and out of competition, mirroring rules enforced across other sports complying with the World Anti-Doping Code.

Testing Volume Stays Consistent While Contamination Safeguards Improve

Despite restructuring the testing pools, the total number of athletes selected across both groups will remain broadly consistent with current rosters. Testing frequency and sample volume are unlikely to change under the 2027 framework. All players, regardless of their specific pool assignment, must provide a sample immediately when requested by a doping control officer. Refusal to comply carries a potential suspension of up to four years.

The updated code introduces clearer safeguards for athletes who demonstrate that a positive test stemmed from unintentional contamination. This includes exposure via medication, food, drink, or environmental factors, as well as third-party transmission. The guidelines also establish broader flexibility for disciplinary sanctions, incorporating rehabilitation-focused pathways for specific recreational drug cases that bear no relation to athletic performance.

Players will learn their assigned testing pool designations in November, though individual classifications will remain confidential.

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