The problem of doping in sports

The problem of doping in sports

By Hario Tilarso

JAKARTA (JP): The word "doping" is very well-known in the sporting community.

Doping is an effort to improve performance with chemical substances or techniques prohibited by the International Olympic Committee. Athletes who use drugs are taking unfair shortcuts to improve their ability. Doping is contrary to the belief that high performance should be obtained through rigid, systematic training. It is clear that doping is cheating, and therefore unethical.

Doping was practiced as long ago as ancient Greek times. In the 3rd century B.C, during the original Olympic Games, it was well noted that some athletes consumed special drinks and foods believed to improve their performance.

In Central and South America, native Indians took certain herbs to improve performance while hunting and fighting. In Europe, the use of caffeine has long been popular as a doping technique.

The first doping case in sport history was in a chariot race, the subject involved was the horse, not the driver. People noted that doping animals was successful, so they began to give the drugs to athletes. Cycling, weight lifting and body-building -- the sports that require explosive power -- are the types of sports in which doping is frequent. Endurance sports such as marathon and triathlon are also prone.

Athletes may turn to drugs when aiming to break a record, when they have an overwhelming desire to win or be famous. Craving to land a lucrative contract or to overcome a nagging injury are other common reasons.

Many athletes will do anything, at any cost, to get the "magic formula" to boost performance, even though most of them know the danger of the drugs. They willingly take the risk. Doping became very prominent in the world after it claimed victims.

Drinks

At first, stimulants in the form of drinks were the most common. The drinks contained caffeine, honey, alcohol and cocaine. Until the 1970s, the most popular were amphetamines, a central nervous system stimulant. Now, anabolic steroids, male hormone substances that improve muscle mass, is the most common.

The Olympic committee announced its list of prohibited drugs in 1968. The list contained stimulants, narcotics, anabolic steroids, diuretics, betta blockers and some new substances such as growth hormones and EPO.

The committee also regards other efforts to alter the physiological system as doping. Blood doping, a form of doping by ingestion of one's own blood after it is taken from the body, is very common. It is also called reinfusion, and is aimed at boosting blood volume and concentration so it can hold more oxygen. This technique leaves no trace in the urine. It is dangerous because it overloads the circulation system.

Anabolic steroids have been the most widely used drugs because they can enlarge the muscles -- supposedly increasing strength and power. According to some doping experts this is not true, because the muscle enlargement is due mainly to water retention, not fiber enlargement.

Anabolic steroids can also cause some serious side effects: enlargement or destruction of the liver; premature closing of the bone-growing plate, so the athlete will not grow anymore; osteoporosis of the bone, because calcium is not deposited properly in the bone; weakness of the ligaments and tendons; and decreased sperm formation.

But athletes still take drugs, because they believe in the effects and ignore the side effects. Sprinters, body-builders, lifters, shot-putters are included in the regular users of anabolic steroids.

Unlike stimulants, which are consumed shortly before competition, anabolic steroids must be "programmed" early in the training regime. If the athlete stops taking the drug one month before the competition, there may be no trace in the urine when tested. But the speed of excretion is different for each individual.

The most recent case of doping was the 11 Chinese athletes at the Hiroshima Asian-Games. Their urine tested positive for testosterone, a male hormone substance. Seven of the athletes were swimmers, who established records, including a world record. The finding strengthened the belief among western officials that the Chinese use steroids and other wonder drugs.

Dangerous

Sports these days are very tough, and drive athletes to try anything to improve their physical ability. Doping can be minimized by educating athletes, as well as coaches and managers, that doping endangers their health and unfair to other athletes.

The International Olympic Committee has also imposed heavier sanctions to stop athletes from resorting to doping. They have a tendency to impose a lifetime ban even for the first offense. It used to only be a two-year suspension.

Whatever the punishment, athletes must understand the dangers of doping.

Hario Tilarso is a physician specializing in sports medicine and a member of the board of executives of the Indonesian Amateur Cycling Association (ISSI).