For a long time, all products and extracts based on hemp were considered suspicious substances in the world of sport, and therefore prohibited. The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) strongly defended its uncompromising position on this issue. However, the situation has changed dramatically recently, and CBD cannabidiol has disappeared from the list of prohibited drugs.
There were several reasons that led the organization and many radical sports environments to make groundbreaking decisions. First of all, the discussion about the beneficial effects of CBD on competitors' organisms turned out to be important. No less important were reports on the healing properties of supplements based on cannabis extracts confirmed by the opinions and tests of well-known scientists and the experiences of the patients themselves. Finally, the fact that CBD is a natural, safe, non-toxic and non-addictive agent was also of great importance.
A direct impulse to change WADA's position was the case of the MMA player Nate Diaz, who after losing the fight, freely took CBD with a vaporizer during a press conference and talked about the beneficial (primarily analgesic and anti-inflammatory) properties of the product. The athlete showed considerable courage because he risked his own career. In the end, he was punished with only a warning, but the media publicized the case so much that a public discussion broke out, in which other athletes also took part. Under the influence of pressure from public opinion, scientists and the players themselves, the agency approved the use of natural CBD supplementation.
It was a sensible decision, the more that cannabidiol not only has the properties that Diaz drew attention to, i.e. analgesic and anti-inflammatory, but also has a calming effect, regulates sleep and appetite, reduces joint discomfort and reduces muscle tension. It is therefore a substance with beneficial effects. In addition, in the case of athletes who often perform heavy and intense workouts, it may limit the need for other, actually risked or even dangerous substances and drugs (e.g. opioid analgesics).
