DRUGS IN SPORT

Drugs in Sport

Drugs in Sport

Introduction

Use of drugs in sports or doping is denoted as the usage of banned performance-enhancing drugs in human sports. In sport, as in the wider globe, the term bear a exact meaning that is both misleading and pejorative. People who are said to 'take drugs' or, worse still, to 'deal drugs' are always supposed to be an affront to civilized culture. Sociologists who have researched the 'drug culture' are thought, for the sake of their research, to have walked, however briefly, on the wild side. But modern societies are, in effect, drug cultures. Many people visit the doctor and, when they visit, they could anticipate to be prescribed drugs. Huge trans-national companies exist to deal drugs. This is respectable, however, because it is done for medical purposes , to eradicate illness, injury and discomfort and to ease pain. Some drugs are permissible, and some are not. A medical case can be made for cannabis, for example, although it is illegal in most contemporary societies. But drugs, per se, are not an issue. Sports culture reflects this. Athletes of the modern age take a great many substances into their bodies in pursuit of excellence and success. This paper discusses the issue of Drugs in Sport including various breaches that may be at law, and all areas of Sports Law issues/regulations/concerns. It also discusses the case of Lance Armstrong.

Discussion

Sports medicine's role is to minimise hazards for participants by, for example, framing rule-changes which forbid collapsing the scrum, which has reduced the risk of neck injury in rugby. Such attempts to gain an edge in competition undermine the sporting ideal and are banned by leading sports regulatory bodies. The Olympic Movement Anti-Doping Code lists banned methods and substances that could be used to enhance performance. These include some prohibited in certain circumstances as well as those completely banned. The latter include:

Stimulants such as bromantan, certain beta-2 agonists Amphetamines, carphedon, caffeine, and Ephedrine Cocaine.

peptide mimetics Hormones, and analogues for example Corticotrophin, Growth Hormone, pituitary and synthetic Gonadotrophins, Chorionic Gonadotrophic Hormone, Insulin and Erythropoietin.

Narcotics such as Morphine, Diamorphine (heroin), Pethidine Hydrochloride and Methadone Hydrochloride.

Anabolic Steroids such as stanazol, Nandrolone, methandione, clenbuterol, Testosterone, certain beta-2 agonists and androstenedone. (Wilson, 2001)

[Products and Methods of Doping]

The list produced above is not comprehensive: full details are available from the governing bodies of relevant sports. Among banned methods are blood doping, plasma expanders or administration of artificial oxygen carriers. Also forbidden is any pharmacological, chemical or physical manipulation to affect the results of authorised testing. Certain sports may also selectively ban drugs available to others - for example archers may not use sedatives. (Borzi, 2005)

Drug use can be detected by analysis of the Urine, but testing only at the time of competition is unlikely to detect drug use designed to enhance early-season training; hence random testing of competitive athletes is also used.

The increasing professionalism and competitiveness (among amateurs and juveniles as well as professionals) in sports sometimes results in pressures on ...