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Meaning of Doping

Doping may be defined as the use of chemical substances, foreign to the body, to
improve athletic performance. Doping is the use of substances or the employment of means
in an attempt to augment artificially the performance of an athlete, during, either
participation or preparation. This is rather broader concept of doping than the simple use
of drugs- it could encompass other artificial means of trying to change the outcome of a
race, for instance a programmer of deliberate starvation, or dehydration, the transfusion of
the athlete’s own stored blood.

International Olympic Committee (IOC) has banned the use of performance enhancing
drugs in sports since 1964.

Since 2004, World Anti- Doping Agency (WADA), has taken over the IOC and has
redefined doping as violations of one or more of the anti- doping rules mentioned in WADA
code.

Blood Doping

Blood doping or blood boosting or blood transfusion is the injection of either whole
blood or packed red blood cells (RBC’s) into the participant the day prior to competition
in the hope of increasing the blood volume and its oxygen carrying capacity, and thus
improving endurance performance. Blood doping may be the injection of an individual’s
own blood which was withdrawn several weeks prior to reinjection. Training continues and
this apparently allows time for the body to regenerate new RBC’s in which to restore the
normal hemoglobin level. The ergogenic effects from the blood doping is considered to be
unethical.

1. It causes infections of the blood.

2. Blood doping leads to intravascular blood clotting.

3. When attempted by an untrained and physician it leads to mismatch blood

transfusion.

The Prevention of Doping

Methods for the prevention of doping fall into three broad categories – control by
government or inter-governmental legislation, regulation by athletic association and gentle
persuasion.

1. Regular weight records should be maintained

2. The trainer must explain the effects of drugs rationally rather than emotionally.
All types of drugs have no place in sports because of both immediate and long-term harmful
effects.
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Ergogenic Aids

Ergogenic aids consist substance, drugs, procedures and even devices that are
intended to improve athletic performance.
Some form of simulating beverages and dietary helps have been in common usage
amongst the sportsmen, since ancient times. The Roman gladiators believed that raw ox
meat and testes give better results in the field. Five important ergogenic aids are –

i. Anabolic Agents: They are synthetic chemicals designed to have effects similar to
a natural steroid produced in the body, the hormone testosterone. Natural
testosterone provides anabolic (building) and androgenic (musculinizing) effects.
Anabolic agents are misused in sports to increase muscle strength and bulk and to
promote aggressiveness and as a result increases athletic performance.
ii. Stimulants: Stimulants are drugs, which increase alertness and reduce fatigue and
may increase competitiveness and hostility. They are used because they can produce
a psychological and physical stimulus, which may improve athletic performance.
iii. Beta-Blockers: Drugs commonly used for heart disease to lower blood pressure and
decrease the heart rate. They may also be used in the treatment of migraines and to
tremors.(shooting and Archery)
iv. Narcotic Analgesics: They are powerful analgesics and are mainly used for
management of severe pain. They produce a sensation of euphoria or psychological
stimulation, a false feeling of invincibility and illusions of athletic process beyond
the athlete’s inherent ability.
v. Diuretics: Diuretics have important therapeutic indications for the elimination of
excess body fluids from the tissues in certain pathological condition and for
management of high blood pressure. Diuretics are sometimes misused by
competitions for two main reasons, namely: to reduce weight quickly in sports
where weight categories are involved and to reduce the concentration of drugs by
passing urine.

Bad Effects of Doping on Sports Persons

Winning in sports at all costs does not permit the philosophy of sports to degenerate
merely into a competition amongst laboratories, scientists and athletes. Increased use of
drugs in sports to gain an upper edge threatens the safety, health and longevity of athletes
while preventing the original intent or sports.

(i) Effect of Stimulants:

(a) Aggressiveness, anxiety and tremors which can lead to poor judgement
placing the individual at greater risk of injury.

(b) Dehydration and decreased circulation.

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(c) Increased heart rate and blood pressure.

(ii) Effect of Narcotic Analgesics: -

(a) The narcotic analgesics may increase the pain threshold so that the athlete
may fail to recognize it. Thus leading to more serious injury.

(b) Can cause physical and psychological dependence leading to many problems
associated with addiction withdrawal.

(c) Dose related respiratory depression.

(iii) Effects of Anabolic Agents:

(a) Masculinization (features like males) among females.

(b) Increase aggressiveness, mood swings, depression, abnormal menstrual

cycles, excessive hair growth on the body, in females.

(c) Deepening of voice in females

(d) Acne, reduction in the size of testicles in males, decreased sperm production.

(e) Potential for kidney, liver dysfunction.

(f) Premature aging, enlargement of prostate gland Prostate gland, chestnut-

shaped reproductive organ, located directly beneath the urinary bladder in
the male, which adds secretions to the sperm during
the ejaculation of semen.)

These effects may be permanent with prolonged use.

(g) In adolescents, premature closure of the growth centers of the long bones
may occur, resulting in stunted growth.

(iv) Effects of Diuretics:

(a) May cause dehydration, muscle weakening.

(b) A drop in blood pressure

(c) Cardiac irregularities caused by electrolytic imbalance

(v) Effects of Beta Blockers;

(a) Can cause heart failure

(b) Asthma

(c) Depression
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(d) Sleep disorders

(e) Sexual dysfunction

The banned of substances’ and methods

the definition of doping established by the medical commission of the international

Olympic committee is based on the prohibition of certain types of pharmaceuticals this
definition also bane new substances which may have been developed by laboratories
specifically for doping purposes

The list of banned substances and method

list of banned substances

stimulants (amphetamine, cocaine)

Narcotics both natural and synthetic (dextromoramid propoxyphene, morphine)

Anabolic Agent (nandrolone, Testosterone)

Diuretic (Ethacrynic acid, Furosemide, canerone)

Peptide and glycoprotein hormones and analogs (HGH, LH EPO

Banned methods

* Doping it is a method of increasing the number of red blood cells in the body which in
turn carry more oxygen to the muscles it is most often used by athletes who compete in
endurance races like cycling or cross country skiing in the past a little blood would be
removed from an athlete's system and then frozen and stored for several weeks a day or
two before decrease the stored blood would be injected into the athlete system creating
extra red blood cells these extra red blood cells would carry more oxygen to the muscles
giving the athlete an advantage over the other races who don't use blood doping

* Pharmacological, chemical or physical manipulation

List of Banned substances

*alcohol

*Marijuana

*Local Anesthetics

*corticosteroids

*Beta blockers (Pindolol, Acebutol, Propranolol).