Illegal substances and methods: performance-enhancing drugs and methods

Illegal performance-enhancing substances and methods have been employed by coaches and athletes in order for the athlete to gain an advantage over their competitors. While they might bring about improved performance, the health and associated risks of doping to the athlete need to be taken into consideration prior to use.

Doping Taking performance-enhancing drugs is commonly referred to as ‘doping’. Doping is the use of, or distribution to, an athlete or certain substances or methods that could have an affect of artificially enhancing performance..

Doping is a massive moral issue. The IOC says it poses the greatest threat to the integrity and future of sport. Performance-enhancing drugs are currently banned or considered illegal in most sports. There has been some argument to legalise them because of widespread use and issues with detecting some substances.

Furthermore, some performance-enhancing practices currently used in sport produce exactly the same results, but are neither banned nor illegal. For example, the illegal drug erythropoietin (EPO) can create an increase in red blood cell levels; however, the same effect can be obtained legally by living and training at altitude, or by spending time (usually while asleep) inside an altitude chamber or tent.

Performance-enhancing drugs and methods to increase strength and muscle mass (anabolic agents, steroids) to counteract undesirable side-effects (hormones, anti- oestrogenic substances) to mask the presence of banned substances (diuretics) to increase alertness and/or aggressiveness (caffeine, amphetamines) to enhance oxygen transfer (blood doping) to alter samples provided for testing (urine substitution) to speed up the rehydration process (intravenous infusions) to reduce pain (narcotics).

Cheaters Athletes caught using these drugs have been stripped of their medals and records and banned from their sports, sometimes for years and, on occasions, for life. Many of these drugs also pose serious potential health risks. Extra Reading “Chemical Warfare Declared”

Illegal Substances See table 11.4 on page for WADA prohibited substances their benefits and side effects. Pages 413 to 415

Why do athletes take drugs? List as many reasons as you can why an athlete might take drugs?

Your turn! Define the term doping. For each of the following illegal methods of performance enhancement, suggest a legal method: anabolic steroids blood doping intravenous infusion amphetamines.

Explain the difference between a performance- enhancing substance and a performance- enhancing method. Discuss why some drugs are banned all the time but others are only prohibited in certain sports. .

Answer this in your workbook Why do athletes use drugs? Use the information provided in this section, specifically figure 11.10, to answer the following questions: What are some of the specific pressures that athletes face that may influence them to resort to the use of performance-enhancing drugs or methods? Which three factors do you think place greatest pressure on athletes? Explain why you selected these three. What can athletes do to combat or resist these pressures? What advice would you give an athlete who confides to you that they are considering the use of a particular illegal performance-enhancing drug or method?