Doping in Sports

DOPING in SPORTS
Learning Activity Sheets
Name of Learner:
Grade & Section:
Date:
A. Identifies effects of doping on athletic performance.

B. Analyzes cases of doping in local and/or international sports.
C. Evaluates athletic and societal factors that lead to doping.
Introduction
Doping has become a key and complex issue in the sports world, which deserves serious consideration,
as specialists are still striving to understand how and why it happens, and how to prevent it. "Sensational"
revelations in the press reflect the gravity of a worrying situation resonating in most sports disciplines.
Cases of doping compromise the credibility of performance in sport, the mediatized victories of some
"arena heroes" becoming questionable and disputable. Nowadays some sporting disciplines seem to have
managed to surpass the human limits and sometimes even the legal limits. The financial interests, the pressure
to obtain better results, the media coverage of sports competitions and, finally, the human nature can explain
this phenomenon.
What is doping?
“Doping” refers to the use of banned substances in competitive sports. Performance enhancing drugs
(PEDs) is another term used to for drugs used by athletes to improve their athletic performance.
According to the World Anti-Doping Code, which was established by WADA in 2008, a substance or
treatment constitutes doping if it meets two of the three following criteria:
• It enhances performance.
• It presents a risk to the athlete’s health.
• It is contrary to the spirit of the sport.
Doping today
Depending on the country's legislation, doping substances can be bought from pharmacies / supplement
stores or, most commonly, from the black market. For a substance or performance improvement method to be
classified as doping, it must meet at least two of the following three criteria: to improve performance, to present
a hazard to the health of the athlete and to violate the spirit of sport. Other methods of improving performance
such as blood transfusions are also included in the doping category.
Methods and Goals of Doping

The goals of doping practices typically fall into four broad categories. These are substances that increase
muscle mass, substances that decrease recovery time, substances that increase energy and/or endurance, and
substances that mask the presence of other drugs. A few examples of substances and methods used in doping
are noted below.
1. Anabolic Drugs (Anabolic Steroids)

Anabolic steroids have been prevalent in professional sports since they were first used in the 1950s in
weightlifters. They have been used extensively in strength-based sports such as weightlifting, football, baseball
and many other sports. Anabolic steroids are typically synthetic derivatives of testosterone. The goal of their use
in doping is to increase muscle mass and lean body weight. These medications can be taken either orally or by
injection, and many different forms are often taken simultaneously to maximize their desired effects. Users often
take these drugs for their desired effects such as increased muscle strength and size, however many major and
minor adverse health effects are related to their use. Relatively minor health effects such as skin infections, acne,
irreversible gynecomastia (male development of breast tissue), and testicular shrinkage are well described with
anabolic steroid use. Additionally, severe, and potentially life-threatening effects such as psychosis, bleeding
around the liver, increased risk of heart attack, and sudden death has been associated with anabolic steroid use.
Due to the many adverse health effects associated with anabolic steroid use, they are listed as controlled
substances in the United States, are permanently listed on the World Anti-Doping Code, and are routinely tested
for in elite athletes.
2. Stimulants
Stimulant drugs are composed of a large and diverse group of drugs, which when used for doping
purposes have the intent to increase an athlete’s stamina, decrease their sensation of fatigue and pain, and
improve their mental function and behavior. There are many well-known agents in this class including cocaine,
amphetamines, and ephedrine. Amphetamines were initially desirable in athletes as they decreased the
sensation of pain and fatigue. Amphetamines have been documented to have been used in many sports such as
cycling, soccer and track and field, and were first noted in the Olympics of 1936. However, despite their
widespread use, amphetamines were quickly found to be associated with many undesirables and sometimes life-
threatening effects. Amphetamines have been linked with increased risk of seizures, heart attacks and sudden
death along with many other effects, and therefore have been banned for use both in sport and are illegal for
personal use as well. Stimulant drugs are the second largest class of banned drugs on the WADA Anti-Doping
Code and are also routinely tested for in elite athletes.
3. Hormones
The endocrine system is the system in the human body that produces and regulates hormones. Hormones
are responsible for almost every bodily function including muscle development and growth. Several hormones
have been discovered which function to increase protein production and therefore are involved in increasing
muscle mass. Hormones such as insulin and human growth hormone (hGH) have been used by athletes to
increase muscle mass and definition. While some of these therapies have been successful previously, they are
also associated with severe health effects such as low blood sugar, fluid overload and limb swelling, overgrowth
of bone and heart attacks. Due to these and many other dangerous health effects, these substances are also
listed on the Anti-Doping Code.
4. Oxygen Transport (“Blood Doping”)

Lastly, athletes may try to improve their performance in sport by increasing the amount of oxygen in their
bloodstream. As oxygen one of the basic nutrients for all cells, increased oxygen delivery to tissues can improve
endurance and athletic performance. Athletes have attempted to achieve this goal in many ways. Some athletes
will have their own blood drawn months in advance of a competition, only to be re-transfused into the same
athlete just prior to the competition to increase their blood volume and the amount of oxygen in that blood
during the competition. Other athletes have used certain medications such as erythropoietin, that work to
increase the body’s production of red blood cells, which carry oxygen to the cells. Overall, increased red blood
cell volume ensures increased oxygen delivery to cells, and likely improved endurance. However, the body is
quite sensitive to such changes, and as the volume of blood increases, the blood thickens, increasing the risk of
high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, and sudden death.
Regulations
Despite the visible improvement in performance noted in countless athletes throughout several
centuries, it was also noted that the athletes would often suffer adverse health effects and even premature death
that seemed to be associated with the doping practices. These adverse outcomes and deaths lead to the first
ban on doping by the International Association of Athletics Federation in 1928. This ban proved to be inadequate
however, as the ability to test for banned substances was quite limited at that time. In 1967 the International
Olympic Committee (IOC) banned doping, and in 1999 the IOC led the initiative to form the World Anti-Doping
Agency (WADA). Today WADA forms the backbone of anti-doping laws and testing worldwide and assists in
setting the standard for other agencies and sports. WADA’s main activities include education of the health risks
of doping, scientific research of doping practices, development of anti-doping capabilities, and development of
testing methods for doping detection.
Activity 1: Dope Me!
Instruction: Research for Local or International doping in sports cases. Give only one (1) case and put it on a
short size bond paper with your name on it.
✓ Identify the person guilty of doping
✓ Type of sports competition playing
✓ Type of doping substance used
✓ Penalty for violating the anti-doping rules

Doping in Sports

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DOPING in SPORTS

Learning Activity Sheets

Grade & Section:

A. Identifies effects of doping on athletic performance.

Methods and Goals of Doping

1. Anabolic Drugs (Anabolic Steroids)

4. Oxygen Transport (“Blood Doping”)

Activity 1: Dope Me!

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