Drugs - quizlet

• Doping

  In competitive sports, doping refers to the use of banned performance enhancing drugs by athletic competitors
• Stimulants

  Drugs that induce a temporary improvement in mental and physical function
• Erythropoietin

  EPO
• Erythropoietin

  A hormone which is naturally produced by the kidneys by can also be artificially produced to increase performance in endurance athletes such as long-distance cyclists
• Tetrahydrogestrinine


  THG
• Tetrahydrogestrinine


  A banned steroid used to increase power which was tweaked by chemists to make it undetectable by 'normal tests
• BALCO


  The 'Bay area laboratory cooperative' this was behind one of the highest scandals in drugs history as the source of THG, with several athletes implicated and subsequently banned from sport
• Whereabouts system


  A system designed to support out of competition testing which requiresbathletesntovsupplg the details of their whereabouts so that they can be located at any time and anywhere for testing, with or without notice
• WADA


  A foundation created in 1999 through a collective initiative led by the IOC to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against sport
• Identify the social and psychological reasons why elite performers continue to take illegal performance-enhancing drugs despite obvious dangers to their health.

  Social reasons:

  • A win-at-all-costs attitude which dominates modern-day elite sport

  • The fame and fortune attached to success at elite level (i.e. the very high level of extrinsic rewards/money received for sporting success via prize money, sponsorship deals and so on)

  • The high levels of pressure to win from a variety of different sources, such as coaches, family and the media (e.g. coaches might persuade athletes to take drugs illegally because their main competitors already do so, and they won't be able to compete with them on

  a level playing field if they don't)

  • The lack of effective deterrents and firm belief that a performer will get away with it and not get caught

  • Poor role models setting a bad example that drug taking in sport or certain sports is viewed in some way as being acceptable (e.g. athletics, cycling etc.)

  Psychological reasons:

  • To steady nerves/decrease anxiety

  • To increase aggression

  • To increase confidence/self-belief
• Some performers break the rules and use banned substances to enhance their performance. Identify the physiological reasons why a performer may use (a) beta blockers and (b) EPO.

  Reasons for using beta blockers:

  • Counteracts adrenaline that interferes with performance by binding to nerve receptors

  • Keeps heart rate low

  • Decreases trembling in the hands

  • Increases blood flow through the arteries

  • Decreases muscle spasms

  
  

  Reasons for using EPO:

  • Stimulates red blood cell production

  • Increases endurance; performer can keep going for longer

  • Delays onset of fatigue

  • Aids recovery from training
• Explain the advantages of all sports in all countries testing for performance-enhancing drugs.

  • Uphold the traditions of sport/sporting ethics/all competitors are equal

  • Standard list of banned substances/same testing procedures/similar punishments

  • Random tests are more effective

  • Shared costs between all sports

  • Performers are not able to 'pick and choose' sports based on drug-testing procedures
• Which of the following is a key physiological reason why an elite performer takes EPO in order to improve their chances of success?

  a) Increased power

  b) Increased confidence

  c) Increased endurance

  d) Increased anxiety

  (1)

  c) Increased endurance
• Elite athletes continue to take performance-enhancing drugs, despite obvious risks to their health and the negative implications of being caught. Give reasons why drug taking continues at elite sporting events such as the Olympics. (4)

  • Physiological benefits (e.g. increased power/endurance)

  • Psychological benefits (e.g. increased aggression/confidence)

  • Win-at-all-costs attitude

  • Financial rewards/fame

  • Pressure from coaches/peers/media to win

  • Levels playing field (others doing it, can't win if don't)

  • Belief won't get caught/effective masking agents

  • Poor punishments/lack of effective deterrents
• Describe the physiological reasons why an elite performer might use anabolic steroids just like any other training aid. (3)

  • Aid in the assimilation/storage of protein

  • Decrease in fat in the muscles

  • Increase ability to train for longer and train at a higher intensity

  • Increase ability to train more frequently/have a faster recovery time due to quicker repair of the muscles

  • Increase in muscle size/mass/strength
• Outline the strategies being used by sports organisations to try to decrease the use of drugs by elite performers. (4)

  • Testing: random testing/out-of-competition testing/'whereabouts' system

  • Education/anti-doping culture: education programmes for athletes/coaches; create a strong anti-doping culture/promote ethically fair, drug-free sport (e.g. 100% Me)

  • Co-ordination: improve co-ordination between organisations involved in drug detection (e.g. WADA, UKAD, NGBs)

  • Punishment: harsher punishments (e.g. life bans/return of medals or career earnings/loss of sponsorship deals)

  • Investment in technology: increased

  investment/funding into new testing

  programmes/new technology

  • Role models: promote successes of positive role models; name and shame drugs cheats
• Explain the problems which are being faced by drug enforcement agencies in the world of sport e.g. WADA/UK Anti-Doping in their fight to eliminate performance enhancing drugs at elite performer level. (8)


  • Difficulty in keeping testing procedures/practices up to date; cheaters always try to keep one step ahead of the testers (e.g. via developing

  new drugs/masking agents to avoid detection)

  • Difficulty sometimes in classifying which drugs are illegal and which are acceptable to use for medical reasons

  • Sometimes sponsors continue to support athletes despite positive drugs tests resulting in bans; athletes continue to take drugs as motivated by high financial rewards available for success achieved as a result of taking them

  • There is a battle which is hard to win against the illegal support/encouragement to take PEDs,

  e.g. via coaches/fellow competitors and even via the state/government as in the case of Russia

  • Different countries/sports have different policies/procedures for testing/punishments linked to PEDs

  • Difficulty in issuing an appropriate ban/'clean' athletes may be 'unfairly' banned, e.g. Russian athletes in Rio 2016

  • Very high costs are associated with drug testing, both financially and time-wise

  • Legal challenges against positive results/bans (e.g. appeals of various Russian athletes to the Court of Arbitration of Sport to compete in Rio)

  • Difficulty in gaining access to athletes to administer tests/out-of-competition testing is sometimes difficult to administer
• Social reasons for taking drugs in sport

  Win-at-all-costs attitude dominates modern-day elite sport.

  Fame and fortune attached to success e.g. prize money, sponsorship deals.

  High levels of pressure to win from a variety of different sources such as coaches, family and media.

  Other athletes taking it, unable to compete unless taken due to unlevel playing field.

  Lack of effective deterrents.

  Poor role models.
• Pyschological reasons for taking drugs in sport

  Beta-blockers to steady nerves in fine motor control sports e.g. archery.

  Anabolic steroids to increase aggression in high contact sports e.g. rugby.

  Stimulants to increase confidence when competition is of highest standard e.g. Olympics.
• Anabolic steroids


  Artificially produced hormones e.g. THG which was tweaked by chemists to make it undetectable by normal tests.
• Beta blockers


  Medication used for heart conditions that works by widening the arteries, allowing increased blood flow and reducing involuntary muscle spasms.
• EPO


  A natural hormone produced by kidneys to increase red blood cells. Artifically manafactured to cause an increase in haemeglobin levels.
• Who would use anabolic steroids and what are the physiological benefits?

  Power athletes e.g. sprinters.

  
  

  Aid storage of protein and promotes muscle growth and development of muscle tissue, increasing strength and power.

  Less fat in muscle and lean body weight.

  Improves body's capacity to train longer at higher intensity, reducing fatigue.
• Who would use beta blockers and what are the physiological benefits?

  High-precision sports e.g. golfers.

  
  

  Improves accuracy by steadying nerves.

  Calm performance anxiety and keeps HR low and decreases tremble in hands.

  Counteracts adrenaline that interferes with performance by preventing it from binding to nerve receptors.
• Who would use EPO and what are the physiological benefits?

  Endurance performers e.g. long-distance runners who need effective oxygen transport.

  
  

  Stimulates red blood cell production leading to an increase in O2 carrying capacity of the body.

  Increase amount of work performed.

  Increase endurance.

  Delay onset of fatigue.
• Side effects of anabolic steroids

  Liver damage.

  Heart problems.

  Immune system problems.

  Acne.

  Behavioural changes e.g. aggression and mood swings.
• Side effects of beta blockers

  Tiredness due to low blood pressure.

  Slower HR will affect aerobic capacity.
• Side effects of EPO

  Blood clotting.

  Stroke.

  Death (in rare cases).
• Positives to performer of drug taking

  Fame and fortune.

  Sponsorship deals due to success.
• Negative implications to performer of drug taking

  Provides negative role models.

  Damage to health.

  Bad reputation.

  Loss of income and sponsorship prospects.

  Fined, banned, stripped of medal and earnings, jail.

  Social isolation.

  Negative impact on emotional and psychological well-being.
• Strategies for the elimination of performance-enhancing drugs in sport.

  UKAD - administers testing programmes.

  Educationally works with athletes and support staff to increase knowledge of dangers and moral issues of drugs.

  100% me programme delivered at all stages of performance pathway.

  Investment in drug-detection technology, working in a co-ordinated manner with WADA and NGB's. Stricter procedures.

  Harsh punishments e.g. lifelong ban, loss of earnings. Must be consistent among all countries.

  Name and shame cheats, praise naturals.
• Strategies for eliminating perfomance enhancing drugs in sport 'DOPING'


  D - drug-free culture created via education programmes e.g. 100% me.

  O - Organisations co-operate in drug detection.

  P - Punishments harsher.

  I - Investment in new testing technology.

  N - Name and shame negative role models.

  G - Guilty athletes lose funding and sponsorship deals.
• Arguments for drug taking

  Battle is expensive and time-consuming.

  Easy to access and some would argue that they are difficult to eliminate and money better spent on increasing participation.

  Detection not always effective.

  Difficult to define what a drug is compared to artificial aids e.g. oxygen tents.

  Can be taken accidentally.

  Should be a personal choice, didn't ask to be role models.

  If everyone takes them, playing field is level, improving standards.

  If properly monitored, health risks lessened.

  Can improve recovery
• Arguments against drug taking

  Health risks and side effects.

  Creates negative role models, tempting younger athletes.

  Negative image to sport e.g. cycling.

  Pressure to take drugs from coaches increases.

  Success should be due to hard work and talent.

  Unfair advantage, immoral, unethical, against fair-play ethic.

  Cheating.

  Only richer countries can afford them.

  Negative consequences if caught e.g. loss of sponsorship, medals and lottery funding.

  Illegal.