In competitive freediving, unique physiological and psychological demands require athletes to maintain exceptional mental clarity, breath control, and bodily awareness. In recent years, questions have arisen within the community about the potential misuse of benzodiazepines - a class of prescription drugs that act on the central nervous system and can impair reaction time, judgement, and motor skills.

Recognizing both the importance of athlete health and the need to uphold fair play, AIDA has proactively launched a scientific project to assess whether benzodiazepines are present in freediving competitions, and whether their use may pose risks to safety or fairness.

In late 2024, AIDA’s project “Misuse of Benzodiazepines in Freediving Competitions” was selected for funding by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The project is one of the first of its kind in freediving and is conducted in full alignment with WADA’s research and monitoring standards.

Importantly, this initiative is not about punishment. Benzodiazepines are not currently on the WADA Prohibited List, and AIDA’s goal is neither to police nor to sanction - but rather to better understand potential usage patterns and to protect athletes.

“This is not about punishment - it is about athlete protection,” said Prof. Nenad Dikic, Head of the AIDA Antidoping Committee and lead researcher on the project. “Freediving presents unique risks when central nervous system depressants are involved. Our aim is to gather scientific data, raise awareness, and contribute to evidence-based policy - not to stigmatize or criminalize.”

The research is designed to be fully anonymous and ethically sound. During the 2025 season, urine samples already collected through routine doping controls at AIDA World Championships will be subjected to additional analyses by Forensic laboratory of Seibersdorf (Vienna, Austria) for a panel of benzodiazepines and similar substances. The project was approved by the Ethics Committee and all participating athletes will provide informed consent for the additional analysis.

AIDA began piloting this approach during its 2024 AIDA Pool World Championship, where a preliminary analysis of 28 samples indicated that 2 contained benzodiazepines or related substances. This underlined the importance of further investigation.

The first phase of the WADA-funded study will take place during the 2025 AIDA Pool World Championship in Wakayama, Japan, with a second phase planned for the 2025 AIDA Depth World Championship in Cyprus. Final results will help inform the freediving community, contribute to global anti-doping knowledge, and support athlete safety.

As the international federation for freediving, AIDA is committed to leading by example - working in close cooperation with WADA and other partners to foster a clean, fair, and transparent sporting environment.

“This project is part of a broader culture of responsibility,” said Prof. Dikic. “We owe it to our athletes to understand the real risks and to provide clear, science-based guidance.”