Clean Boxing Program: Vaping ruining Athletic Performance

Smoking is an addictive, chronic, and recurring disease that constitutes one of the leading causes of various illnesses and premature deaths worldwide;

Unfortunately, in 80% of cases, this habit begins before the young age of 18. Traditionally, tobacco is consumed by smoking, chewing, or sniffing its leaves to experience its effects.

However, nicotine—the highly addictive chemical component of tobacco—is not only present in conventional cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, but also in electronic cigarettes. The latter have gained massive popularity under the false premise that they help people quit smoking, that they are less harmful, or even under the misleading advertisement that they can enhance physical performance.

Electronic cigarettes are known by various names: e-hookahs, mods, vaporizers, or vape devices. They come in many shapes and sizes; they can look like a regular cigarette, a pipe, a pen, or even a USB flash drive.

The term “vaping” arises because users assume that these devices produce water vapor. In reality, what they generate is an aerosol composed of tiny particles containing nicotine, propylene glycol, and vegetable glycerin. This combination has been shown to drastically increase lung and airway irritation after concentrated, harmful exposure.

Various scientific research papers have confirmed that the aerosol from e-cigarettes contains carcinogenic chemicals. Furthermore, the flavoring agents used often include diacetyl, a compound directly linked to a serious lung disease known as bronchiolitis obliterans (commonly known as “popcorn lung”).

The Myth of Nicotine in Sports and Doping Risks

Regarding the false and erroneous belief that nicotine optimizes athletic performance, the medical community warns about the serious dangers of its consumption.

This substance can cause a critical imbalance between oxygen demand and supply during the recovery period, elevating the risk of suffering a heart attack. In addition, introducing toxic and irritating elements into the respiratory system is completely counterproductive for any high-performance athlete.

For professional boxers and athletes, the risk goes beyond physical health. If the liquids or substances used for vaping contain components included in the prohibited substances list, the athlete faces the risk of an Adverse Analytical Finding; in other words, testing positive in an anti-doping control.

Main effects of electronic cigarettes on health and performance:

1. Severe lung diseases.
2. Chronic cough and shortness of breath.
3. Chest pain.
4. Nausea, vomiting, and weight loss.
5. Fatiga and a considerable reduction in cellular oxygenation.
6. Delayed healing and wound-scarring processes.
7. Severe addiction.

Likewise, vaping in adolescents and young athletes has been proven to stunt brain development, negatively affecting memory, concentration, learning, self-control, and mood.

The World Boxing Council, through the Clean Boxing Program (CBP), urges all members of the boxing community to take care of their health and protect their careers by staying away from these devices.

If you wish to view the complete list of prohibited substances issued by the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association (VADA), you can consult it at the following link:

https://wbcboxing.com/wp-content/uploads/VADA-Prohibited-List-2025.pdf