Athletes who illicitly improve their performance and gain an advantage over their competitors end up being severely punished by sports organizations. One of the cases that had the most repercussions internationally was the scandal involving Russian athletes in the Olympics.
According to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), the term “doping” originates from the Dutch word “dop”, an alcoholic beverage made from grape skins. This drink was used by Zulu warriors, with the aim of making them stronger during combat.
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In 1999, WADA was created to enforce anti-doping standards. The agency was only created after a major drug scandal at the 1998 Tour de France. Its objective is “to promote, coordinate and monitor the fight against doping in sport in all its forms”.
For a substance to be considered prohibited, WADA uses three criteria: products that enhance the sports performance, which pose a risk to the athlete's health or products that violate the spirit sports.
Doping in sport continues to be a serious and difficult issue, endangering the health of an athlete, threatening the integrity of legal athletes and the reputation of the sport practiced.
Detecting drugs in the body of people who practice sports can be a real challenge. The main methods used are blood or urine samples.
Due to the large number of drugs that exist on the market, some substances end up not being detectable. The time of drug use can also help to avoid the detection of doping in athletes, which impairs the analysis process.
Substances used
A number of classes of drugs are banned by sporting bodies around the world. Below we list the most popular among competitors and their side effects on the human body:
Stimulants
Stimulants increase alertness and the ability to overcome fatigue by increasing heart rate and blood flow. In training, they are used to increase the intensity of a workout.
Stimulants can raise blood pressure, make it difficult for the body to cool down, cause dehydration, reduced blood circulation and organ failure.
Anabolic steroids and androgens
Known as anabolic steroids, they help athletes train harder, build muscle mass and strength, and recover faster. Risks include kidney damage, increased aggression, and disruption of the natural balance of hormones.
diuretics
Diuretics increase the rate of urine flow and sodium excretion in order to adjust the volume and composition of body fluids or to eliminate excess fluid from tissues.
Dangers include severe dehydration leading to fluid and electrolyte imbalance, hypotension, circulatory collapse, cardiac arrhythmias, hypomagnesemia, gout, and hyperglycemia.
Narcotic analgesics and cannabinoids
In medical terms, an analgesic narcotic is an opioid – a substance that acts pharmacologically like morphine. They are addictive. Opioids mask pain caused by injury or fatigue, allowing athletes to continue exercising despite damage. However, training or competing in this state can lead to further damage.
hormones
These substances are used to improve muscle mass and performance in sports. Hormones can cause abnormal organ growth, heart disease, diabetes, thyroid problems, high blood pressure and cancer.
