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).