The drug Serena Williams takes could be considered doping in the future

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It's the tennis story of the year and will be for the rest of the season: Serena Williams is back in professional tennis. A week ago, the 23-time Grand Slam champion picked up a racket at the WTA Queen’s, playing doubles with Victoria Mboko. In her only match, she already has a victory, and this week she is already present at the WTA Berlin to continue her preparation, although she is still playing doubles, this time with Karolina Muchova.

The return of the younger Williams sister to the WTA has been welcomed like a breath of fresh air in a circuit lacking leaders and charismatic figures like the American. Right now, it's all joy, but in the future, Serena will need to pay attention to two medications she is taking.

What is GLP-1, the medication Serena Williams took to lose weight?

The tennis player has confessed on more than one occasion that she is taking a weight-loss medication based on GLP-1, including Ozempic, Wegovy, and Zepbound. In fact, she became the face of the latter drug last year. "I feel great, very good and healthy. I feel light, physically and mentally," she shared a year ago with the American magazine People, after stating that she had lost 14 kilos thanks to GLP-1.

And this medication is composed of semaglutide and tirzepatide, two substances listed on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) watchlist since 2024, as they stimulate the pancreas to release insulin and slow digestion, in addition to reducing appetite and hunger. However, as reported by The Athletic, WADA has been monitoring GLP-1 drugs, but currently they are not a prohibited substance nor classified as performance-enhancing substances.

But for Greg Rusedki, former British number one who never misses a chance to give his opinion, stated on his podcast Off Court that "at this moment they are not prohibited; their use is legal. She is not breaking any rules, but WADA is investigating this because they think: 'This could represent a slight unfair advantage'."

Back together, at Wimbledon 💚💜

Serena and Venus Williams will compete in the Ladies’ Doubles at The Championships 2026 pic.twitter.com/xrOV0yeBCJ

— Wimbledon (@Wimbledon) June 16, 2026

"If you can take a pill and reduce your body weight to a certain point, some players might use it to lose weight very quickly because they want to achieve their ideal weight ratio. I think over time it will be banned, but for now Serena is not doing anything wrong," the former tennis player pointed out.

Furthermore, he concluded his argument by opening a debate on the ethics of consuming this type of medication: "I think it takes away some muscle, but if you train hard enough, you will be able to gain muscle, but you cannot lose that kind of weight so quickly because it basically makes your stomach shrink. You don't feel that urgent need to eat, so that gives you a slight advantage. There are many unknowns about what is legal and what is not, and what is ethical and what is not."

For now, the use of the GLP-1 drug is legal for sports and is not considered a doping or illegal substance. It is also unknown when was the last time Serena Williams used it, but it is clear that from now on, everything will be scrutinized more closely.
 

This news is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El fármaco que toma Serena Williams podría ser considerado dopaje en un futuro