THE SPORTSMAN AND DOPING  INTRODUCTION  WHAT IS DOPING?  REASONS WHY SPORTSMEN DOPE  METHODS OF DOPING  EFFECTS OF DOPING  THE FIGHT AGAINST DOPING  LIST OF DOPING CASES  CONCLUSION 1

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INTRODUCTION Sports is cherished by people from all walks of life. At the center of sports is the sportsman, from whom all the merry radiates. To the sportsman, sports is his life – his means of livelihood. The sportsman always tries to win at all costs and may end up engaging in an unhealthy activity – DOPING 3

DOPING Doping is generally the practice of adding a foreign substance to an original one. In the world of sports, doping is termed as the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs often to improve athletic performance. 4

REASONS WHY SPORTSMEN DOPE Humans have always wanted to work harder than they naturally Can or suffer less while doing so; sportsmen are no different. Reasons such as;  Peer and mentor influence  want of fame have been given. Ultimately, they all boil down to one thing: The goal of every doping-sportsman i.e. to improve performance and win medals or trophies. 5

METHODS OF DOPING 1.BLOOD DOPING : Blood doping is the practice of boosting the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream in order to enhance athletic performance. Because such blood cells carry oxygen from the lungs to the muscles, a higher concentration in the blood can improve an athlete’s aerobic capacity (VO 2 max) and endurance. 6

2. GENE DOPING: Gene doping is defined by the world anti-doping agency as the non-therapeutic use of cells, genes, genetic elements, or of the modulation of gene expression, having the capacity to improve athletic performance. This is only a means of replicating a particular gene which will be beneficial in making particular trait stand out in the sportsman. This method of doping is very difficult or impossible to detect. 7

3. USE OF DRUGS  Anabolic steroids: these are drugs that resemble testosterone, a hormone which is produced in the testes of males and, to a much lesser extent, in the ovaries of females. Because testosterone and related drugs affect muscle growth, raising their levels in the blood could help athletes to increase muscle size and strength. Sportsmen use anabolics to reduce body fat and recovery time after injury. (clostebol, stanozolol, boldenone) 8

 Stimulants: stimulate the body and mind to perform optimally by enhancing focus, energy, and aggression. Some examples are caffeine, amphetamine, and methamphetamine.  Painkillers mask sportsmen‘s pain so they can continue to compete and perform beyond their usual pain thresholds. Blood pressure is increased causing the cells in the muscles to be supplied with vital oxygen.  Sedatives are sometimes used by athletes in sports like archery which require steady hands and accurate aim, and also by athletes attempting to overcome excessive nervousness or discomfort. Alcohol, diazepam, propranolol, and marijuana are examples. 9

 Diuretics :As a masking agent to prevent the detection of the presence of other banned substances. They can also help athletes to lose weight which they could use to their advantage in sports where they need to qualify in a particular weight category. (furosemide, metolazone)  Masking drugs are used to prevent the detection of other classes of drugs. These evolve as quickly as do testing methods – which is very quick indeed – although a time-tested classic example is the use of epitestosterone, a drug with no performance-enhancing effects, to restore the testosterone/epitestosterone ratio (a common criterion in steroid testing) to normal levels after anabolic steroid supplementation. 10

EFFECTS OF DOPING  ERYTHROPOIETIN(EPO) abuse can lead to serious health risks for athletes. It is well known that EPO, by thickening the blood leads to an increased risk to several diseases such as stroke, and cerebral or pulmonary embolism.  Anabolic steroids can cause high blood pressure, irregularities in the menstrual cycle in women, decline in sperm production and a possible impotence in men, hair loss, kidney failure and development of masculine facial traits in women. 11

 Misuse of insulin can lead to very low blood glucose levels – a condition known as hypoglycaemia which can lead to seizures, unconsciousness, and in extreme cases can lead to brain damage and possible death.  Death, in most cases is the result from prolonged use of drugs. A common example was in 1960, during the Olympics that year, the Danish cyclist Knut Jensen collapsed and died while competing in the 100-kilometer (62-mile) race. An autopsy later revealed the presence of amphetamines and nicotinyl tartrate in his system. 12

 Others are accounts of hallucinations as one boxer was reported to have quit the fight before the end of the first round because he said his opponent was rather chasing him with a knife. 13

THE FIGHT AGAINST DOPING 14 The fight against doping began as far back as 1928, where the IAAF banned participants from doping. There was however no form of testing and only the word of the athletes that they were clean were relied on.

Progression in pharmacology has always outstripped the ability of sports feds to implement rigorous drug testing procedures but since the creating of the INADA in 1999, more athletes have been caught. Over the years there have been over 700 cases of doping in sports, the most recent being the once celebrated and now disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong whose titles since 1998 have been stripped off him. 15

Sports federations including the IOC, UEFA, FIFA, NBA, WWE and many others are now working hand-in-hand with anti-doping agencies. These anti-doping agencies have laid down this criteria:  1. If the drug is found to enhance performance.  2.If it poses a threat to the health of the athlete.  3.If it violates the spirit of sport. 16

LIST OF DOPING CASES The following are some of the drugs and methods that have passed the test according to the criteria and so have been banned. 1. List of banned substances A. Stimulants B. Narcotics, both natural and synthetic C. Anabolic agents D. Diuretics E. Peptide and glycoprotein hormones and analogs. 17

II. Banned methods. A. Blood doping B. Pharmacological, chemical or physical manipulation. III. List of substances under restriction. A. Alcohol B. Marijuana C. Local anesthetics D. Corticosteroids E. Beta-blockers 18

CONCLUSION Doping is contrary to the spirit of sport. Each time an athlete is caught doping, it discredits sport and the values we attach to it. Doping undermines the trust people place in sport as a tool for health and training. Accepting doping can only destroy the image we have of sport and lead inevitably to its demise. 19

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