3.2.4.5 Drugs in Sport

Social reasons for taking drugs

Win at all costs culture, financial/fame rewards, pressure, lack of effective deterrents, poor role models, state sponsored programmes

Psycological reasosns for taking drugs

Increased confidence, reduced anxeity, increased agression

EPO

Natural hormone (can also be synthetically produced) that increases RBC count/haemoglobin levels/oxygen carrying ability

Advantages of EPO

Aerobic endurance at high intensities, delays fatigue, improved recovery, simple injection, benefits sustained

Disadvantages of EPO

Blood clotting, stroke, high blood pressure, banned, unethical

Anabolic steroids

Artificially produced hormones mimicking testosterone

Advantages of anabolic steroids

Power/strength through stored protein causing muscle hypertrophy, anaerobic capacity, lean body mass, train for longer/recover faster

Disadvantages of anabolic steroids

Kidney damage, heart disease, facial hair, acne, mood swings/paranoia, over agression

Beta blockers

Prevent adrenaline binding to nerve receptors to calm down athlete through reducing somatic effects

Advantages of beta blockers

Lower heart rate/ breathing rate, reduced hand tremors, lower anxiety

Disadvantages of beta blockers

Fatigue, low blood pressure, reduced aerobic capacity, insomnia, only addresses somatic, banned, nausea

Positive implications of drug taking for performer

Enhanced performance, financial gain, fame, psychological boost

Positive implications of drug taking for sport

Higher standards, record breaking, spectator excitement

Negative implications of drug taking for perfromer

Shame/guilt, loss of sponsorship, damaged legacy, bans

Negative implications of drug taking for sport

Tarnished reputation (ticket sales), loss of credibility, negative role models, inequality

Strategies to eliminate drugs and examples

Education programmes (100% me less likely to accidentally ingest), unified policies (Russia banned as a whole, WADA), stricter sanctions to punish offenders, more frequent random testing/whereabouts system, high profile role models, investment into drug screening/detection (biological passports easy to see changes, WADA state of the art labnorities worldwide)

Effectiveness of stretegies

More likely to be caught so less take the risk, samples kept for 10 years so athletes can be punished after event. Reaching abroad camps difficult for random testing, positive tests could be down to masking of drugs (one step ahead), some countries not signed up to WADA, potential rewards too tempting

Arguments for drug use

Level playing field, freedom of choice, detection expensive/ineffective, proper usage limits health risk, more exciting sport to watch

Arguments against drug use

Unfair advantages due to cost, force unwilling athletes to take drugs to remain competitive ,health risks, tarnished reputation reduced spectators, immoral/unethical

Arguments for drug testing

Preserves integrity, protect health, deters doping, safeguards reputation

Arguments against drug testing

Expensive/ ‘catch-up’, medical necessity, invasion of privacy, improved entertainment