Take3 weeks ago
Ipamorelin isn't a steroid or stimulant—it's a peptide GH secretagogue that nudges the body into producing its own growth hormone, and WADA bans it at all times under S2 with no therapeutic use exemption pathway. The substance has never received FDA approval for human use; most supply circulates through research-chemical vendors, not pharmacies.
Grove's case puts a spotlight on a category of doping that doesn't fit the old anabolic steroid template. Ipamorelin stimulates endogenous GH release rather than replacing it directly, which makes detection harder to frame for a general audience—but WADA's S2 list covers it completely, in- and out-of-competition, no exceptions. The fact that it's unapproved and grey-market doesn't create any ambiguity in the rulebook: prohibition under S2 is categorical, regardless of how the substance was sourced.
Sources
Lloyds Tour of Britain Women 2026 stage 3 – ProCyclingUKBanned Peptides in Sport: WADA Rules and Evidence Limits | PeptideStatWADA's Prohibited Peptide List: Every Banned Peptide | RethinkPeptidesIpamorelin Peptide Dosing Guide – PeptideDosing ProtocolsZuid-Afrikaanse S'annara Grove voorlopig geschorst | WielerFlits