Drugs in sport Flashcards
(23 cards)
Sociological reasons for drug taking….
- Win at all costs attitude.
- Lack of deterrents.
- Poor role models.
- Fame and fortune attached to winning.
Psychological reasons for drug taking….
- Beta blockers= used to steady nerves.
- Anabolic steroids= used to increase aggression.
- Stimulants= used to bolster athletes who lack confidence.
What are anabolic steroids?
- Artificially produced hormones (e.g. THG).
What are the benefits of anabolic steroids?
- Helps build muscle tissue and increases body mass by acting as testosterone.
Which athletes might use anabolic steroids?
- Power athletes such as sprinters.
What are the side effects of anabolic steroids?
- Aggression
- Heart attacks
- Water retention.
What are beta blockers?
- Medicines that lower blood pressure.
- Block the effects of the hormone adrenaline.
- Cause the heart to beat slower and with less force.
What are the benefits of using beta blockers?
- Used to steady nerves= accuracy and precision through sports.
- Calm performance and anxiety.
- Work by widening the arteries, allowing increased blood flow and reducing involuntary muscle spasms.
Which athletes might use beta blockers?
- Athletes that perform high accuracy, fine motor skills.
- E.g. archery, shooters.
What are the side effects of beta blockers?
- Bradycardia.
- Low blood pressure.
- Fatigue, nausea.
What is EPO?
Erythropoietin
- A glycoprotein hormone that stimulates red blood cell production.
What are the benefits of EPO?
- More red blood cells= more O2 around the body.
- Higher O2 carrying capacity.
- Improve rehabilitation
- Enhances endurance and stamina.
Which athletes use EPO?
- Long distance runners and cyclists.
What are the side effects of EPO?
- Blood clotting.
- Strokes.
- Rare cases= deaths.
Positive and negative implications to the sport of drug taking….
- Threatens the spirit of sport.
- Cheating= negative impact of reputation of the sport.
- Negative role models.
- Clouds the success of athletes.
Positive and negative implications to the performer of drug taking….
- Bring fame and fortune- if not caught.
- Negative role models.
- Damaging to performers health.
- Loss of income/ sponsorship.
Strategies for eliminating PED in sport….
- UKAD (UK Anti-doping) is the agency responsible for protecting UK sport from the threat of drug taking and doping.
- It administers testing programmes for over 40 sports.
- Educational strategies to educate athletes on the effects of doping.
- Promote ethical, clean sport via the 100% Me programme.
What is the 100% Me campaign?
- Delivered to athletes at all stages of the performance pathway.
- By positive role models.
- Includes rising stars of ‘schools games’ to Olympic athletes.
How else can we reduce drug taking?
- Investment in drug detection technology.
- Work in coordinated manner with WADA + NGB’s.
- Random testing.
- Out of season testing.
- Harsh punishments.
Punishments….
- Longer bans.
- Lifetime bans.
- Return of lifetime career earnings.
- Return of the money made through sponsorships.
- this gives clean athletes more confidence in the system.
What are the problems with eliminating drugs?
- Difficult to gain access to athletes who are training abroad.
- Ongoing development of new drugs/ masking agents which keep the performers one step ahead.
- Some drugs are taken accidently (some individuals will claim innocence even if they are guilty).
- Different countries have different regulations and testing procedures.
A03= Arguments for legalising drug testing
- Battle against drugs is expensive and time consuming.
- Drugs are easy to access + difficult to eliminate.
- Personal choice.
- Would level the playing field.
A03= Arguments against legalising drug testing
- Health risks and side effects.
- Creates negative role models.
- Pressure to take drugs.
- Unfair advantage.
