A handful of studies have examined the efficacy of motivational enhancing interventions specifically among athletes, with promising results. For example, in one study, Martens and colleagues (2010) found that a personalized feedback-only intervention was effective among a sample of college athletes at reducing peak blood alcohol concentration. Another study by Doumas et al. (2010) found that a feedback-only intervention was effective among high-risk drinkers at reducing average weekly drinking, drinking to intoxication, and peak number of drinks consumed on a single occasion. Finally, a recent study by Cimini et al. (2015) provided similar support for the efficacy of a single-session in-person motivational enhancement intervention. Together, these findings suggest that brief, motivational enhancement interventions have considerable potential in reducing harmful alcohol consumption among athletes. One important doping scandal since WADA’s founding was revealed in 2015 when whistle-blowers provided evidence to news outlets that Russia had been engaged in a state-sponsored doping system that implicated the Russian Anti-Doping Agency (McLaren, 2016a).
Coaches have an important role in athlets’ doping, most of the time, they are responsible for the illegal actions of athletes by offering them the forbidden substances or by acquainting them with people who are involved in doping. There are also athletes who do not know the utility of a substance or if it is on the forbidden list and with their doctor’s recommendation they use the substance which may be on the forbidden list. Another interesting case is that of food supplements purchased from unauthorized sites on the Internet. By having good ads with a convincing message, these supplements can be bought by an athlete.
Melbourne Demons coach Simon Goodwin denies any knowledge of improper illicit drug testing
For example, one study found that personalized feedback tailored specifically for college athletes was more effective than feedback applicable to a general student population at reducing high-risk drinking (Martens, Kilmer, Beck, & Zamboanga, 2010). Tailoring other types of existing interventions may also yield enhanced effects among athletes. While governments remain committed to drug policy approaches that emphasise prohibition, HAT stands out as a concession shaped by evidence, pragmatism, and humanism. Decades of draconian punishments have failed to eliminate, or even consistently lower levels of recreational drug use within the general population; there were more than a half million deaths related to illicit drug use in 2017 alone (United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime, 2019). Much like the complex individual and structural strains that shape problematic drug use outside of sport contexts, the disproportionate material and symbolic rewards that drive some athletes’ interest in doping are likely to persist, and in turn inspire systematic doping schemes.
- “It exists alongside and in addition to the Australian Football Anti-Doping Code which covers prohibited substances including some illicit substances in competition as prescribed by the WADA prohibited list.
- Indeed, many studies have identified the criminalisation of drug possession for recreational use as among the most damaging features of those risk environments, not least because such policies often preclude or limit the formation of enabling environments.
- For example, they may be suspended for using a substance legal in several countries and states in the United States (cannabis), but they are allowed to use narcotic painkillers in an effort to facilitate their return to the practice or competitive arena.
- Another point of view is that doping could be legalized to some extent using a drug whitelist and medical counseling, such that medical safety is ensured, with all usage published.
- Drug abuse in athletes should be addressed with preventive measures, education, motivational interviewing, and, when indicated, pharmacologic interventions.
- Professional athletes are already drug tested regularly, with random drug tests being the most common form of carrying this out.
This is one of the substances that can demonstrate the health risks of drug abuse in sports. For example, in the 90s, several cyclists died due to this drug, which increases the risk of cardiovascular conditions such as heart attack and pulmonary embolism. Erythropoietin (EPO) is largely taken by endurance athletes who seek a higher level of red blood cells, which leads to more oxygenated blood, and a higher VO2 max. An athlete’s VO2 max is highly correlated with success within endurance sports such as swimming, long-distance running, cycling, rowing, and cross-country skiing. EPO has recently become prevalent amongst endurance athletes due to its potency and low degree of detectability when compared to other methods of doping such as blood transfusion.
How is doping detected?
Even with the athlete’s blood, there are still risks, such as blood clots, stroke, and heart attack. The history behind drug use in sports goes as far back as ancient times, claiming that doping might have been present as far back as the ancient Olympic Games. However, in relatively more modern times, one of the earliest records of doping was during an endurance walking race where a contestant admitted to using opiates to stay alert. The International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) suspended Slupianek for 12 months, a penalty that ended two days before the European championships in Prague. In the reverse of what the IAAF hoped, sending her home to East Germany meant she was free to train unchecked with anabolic steroids, if she wanted to, and then compete for another gold medal, which she won.
Moreover, the very nature of the doping risk environments may limit the ability of individuals to effect harm reduction through mere behavioural change. Many sports organizations have banned the use of performance-enhancing drugs and have very strict rules and penalties for people who are caught using them. The International Amateur Athletic Federation, now World Athletics, was the first international governing body of sport to take the situation seriously. Within the context of substance use treatment, there are several evidence-based medications and therapy methods that have been found to be effective for these disorders.
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“Urine tests conducted by doctors to determine if a player has used illicit substances are part of the AFL’s Illicit Drug Policy medical model and have been for some time,” the statement said. Because preventing performance-enhancing drug drug use in sports use is so difficult, there is now a movement within athletics to simply allow doping. However, this is problematic because it does not acknowledge the impact such a decision will have on the health of the athletes who engage in doping.