M E A S U R I N G F O R I M P R O V E D PERFORMANCE
DRUGS IN SPORT
At one time a drug was defined as a substance
taken only for medical reasons. Today the word Drug Testing
drug describes any substance which alters the One approach to attempt to reduce the use of banned drugs in sport is drug
working of the body or mind. It includes social testing.
drugs such as alcohol and tobacco as well as
Any national athlete may be tested at any time. All drug testing of athletes is
illegal substances such as cocaine and heroin.
carried out by the UK Sports. They conduct random tests on athletes during
The use of drugs in sport is a highly training throughout the year, giving them up to 24 h notice. They also test
controversial issue. It is accepted that some athletes at major competitions.
drugs have a beneficial role to play in treating
Athletes who are selected for drug testing are required to provide a urine sample
sporting injuries and illness. What is not
in the presence of a chaperone. The urine is divided into two sample bottles then
accepted is the use of any banned substance or
sealed and sent to an accredited laboratory. One sample is screened for any banned
methods to improve an athlete's sporting
substances using a technique called gas chromatography. If the test is positive the
performance. The use of any banned substance
second sample is kept for future testing. A positive test result may see the athlete
or methods is called doping.
disqualified from an event and may lead to a total ban from competition.
Banned Drugs
Drug abuse by athletes is a form of cheating. It
can also be dangerous or even fatal. Several
athletes have died from drugs intended to
improve their performance. The widespread use
of performance enhancing drugs has led many
sporting organisations such as the International
Olympic Committee to ban the use of certain
drugs. Some of these are listed in Table 11.
Drug Testing
Drug Sport most likely used Reasons for use
Table 11 Some of
Stimulants such as cocaine, All sports Make athletes feel more awake the drugs banned
amphetamines and caffeine and alert whilst hiding natural for Olympic
feelings of fatigue Competition
Narcotic analgesics Endurance events and contact Deaden pain from injury
sports such as long distance
running or boxing
Anabolic steroids Power sports such as weight Buiold muscle
lifting, swimming and sprinting
Beta blockers Snooker, target shooting and Reduce shaking of hands when
fencing aiming for target
Diuretics Boxing , wrestling, weight lifting Reduce weight by causing the
and rowing body to lode water; also used to 29
flush out traces of other drugs