Doping in cycling free essay sample

People indulge in cycling for both recreational and professional reasons. Amateurs participate in cycling to display their skill and to experience the satisfaction that comes from competing against their peers, professionals cycle to satisfy their desire for recognition, fame and a hefty pay check that comes with endorsements from major brands. This desire to win at all cost has brought with it many problems which include doping to gain a competitive edge over opponents. Furthermore some of these practices are addictive, harmful and even life threatening.. This review paper eeks to explain the use and health implications of doping in cycling. INTRODUCTION He did it. He finally admitted it. Lance Armstrong doped. He was light on the details and didnt name names. He mused that he might not have been caught if not for his comeback in 2009. And he was certain his fate was sealed when long-time friend, training partner and trusted lieutenant George Hincapie, who was along for the ride on all seven of Armstrongs Tour de France wins from 1999-2005, was forced to give him up to anti-doping authorities. But right from the start and more than two dozen imes during the first of a two-part interview Thursday night with Oprah Winfrey on her OWN network, the disgraced former cycling champion acknowledged what he had lied about repeatedly for years, and what had been one of the worst-kept secrets for the better part of a week: He was the ringleader of an elaborate doping scheme on a U. S. Postal Service team that swept him to the top of the podium at the Tour de France time after time 1 This is an excerpt from ESPN. om news services of the confession made by seven time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong to Oprah Winfrey where he admitted to doping during all seven of his triumphs. Professional cycling, one of the most popular sports in the world and rich in history, has been plagued in recent years by suspicions of performance-enhancing drug use by many riders, positive drug tests, and even the dethroning of recent Tour de France winners are part of the doping scandals that has engulf ed modern cycling. Doping may be defined as administering drugs to (a racehorse, greyhound, or athlete) in order to inhibit or enhance sporting performance. It has become a common practice among elite sportsmen and is destroying the innocence of various sporting disciplines. One f the most affected is cycling, in this report the following will be discussed: History of doping Reasons for doping Methods of doping in cycling Methods used to evade detection Health implications of the various forms of doping Ways of preventing doping in sports MATERIALS AND METHODS The computer was used in the research ot intormation tor this review paper. Google was used as the search engine. The method was mainly by literature review. The following keywords were used: Definition of doping History of doping in cycling Ways athletes use to avoid getting caught Doping in cycling Ђ Health implications of doping Why people take performance enhancing drugs How to prevent doping in sports About 2000 hits were obtained from the keywords typed and the information chosen was from websites of public and private educational institutions and organization. Ten of these hits were used in the review paper. eventing doping BODY HISTORY OF DOPING IN CYCLING The use of performance enhancing substances is certainly not new to cycling. In fact, the sport has had to face the issue for over a century, arguably longer than any other organized sport. Because of this dubious and lengthy history, cycling perhaps rovides one of the best examples for analysis of doping in sports. Bicycle racing can trace its roots as far back as 1868 when Englishman James Moore won the first organized race in France. The first world championships were held in 1893, and cycling has been included in every Olympics since the modern movement in 1896. The most storied event in the history of cycling, the Tour de France, first raced in 1903. Cyclings stars are among the most famous athletes in worldwide. As the popularity of competitive cycling has increased over the years, so has the influence of money and the pressure to win. That pressure has resulted in a long history of doping. The intense desire to win at all costs emerged even in the very early days of competition. The notorious and world champion coach Choppy Warburton, the cycling guru of the 1890s as he was known, was observed to dispense small bottles to his riders with his secret formula. Although details of the story about one of his riders are a bit unclear and disputed, world champion Arthur Linton is often cited as cyclings first fatality related to drugs. Linton had Just won the 1886 Bordeaux-to-Paris race in record-breaking time, but he died at age 24 as a result of an overdose of rimethyl, reportedly taken to help improve his performance. Another of Choppys champion riders, Jimmy Michael, on one instance appeared to be in a daze while racing, eventually riding around the track in the opposite direction of the other cyclists. He died at 28. Antics like these would eventually get Choppy banned from professional cycling, even though there were no specific rules against his practices at the time. By the 1920s, drugs were already a commonplace on the Tour de France. Strychnine was used as a painkiller during the race. Cocaine was also used to keep riders going. By the 1940s a new drug was on the scene. Amphetamines had been developed for military use to combat fatigue and to help aircrews stay alert. The top Tour riders soon found amphetamines necessary to remain competitive. Even by the 1950s, there was no ban against performance enhancing drugs. Some people were becoming concerned about the effects of those drugs on the riders health after several mysterious lite-threatening incidents on the Tour. Many believed t Tours of the 1950s were won by riders on amphetamines. These suspicions were confirmed by five-time Tour winner Jacques Anquetil. He openly admitted to taking mphetamines, as well as his belief that he should be allowed to do what it takes to win. Although it was no secret that some cyclists lost their lives using strong stimulants during the previous decades, it was not until a Danish cyclist died in 1960 during the Olympic Games that the governing bodies responded. The use of performance-enhancing drugs was first made illegal on June 1, 1965 and shortly to follow were the dismissal of several riders from races that year. By 1966, the Tour began drug testing the riders. Anquetil, one of many riders opposed, said, We find these tests degrading. Anquetil lead a revolt by the cyclists that stopped the race the next day. The Tour conducted no further tests that year. Six riders did test positive as a result of those drug tests but were given only light sanctions. In 1967, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) created a medical commission to address the misuse of drugs in Olympic sports. Methods of detection were improved, but it seemed as though the users were able to stay a step ahead. The Tour of 1967 turned tragic when Tom Simpson, Britains greatest cyclist, died of heat exhaustion exacerbated by amphetamines. Amphetamines were found in his body post-mortem s well as in his luggage. This trend has continued into the modern era and is showing no sign of letting up. In conclusion, doping has been prevalent in competitive cycling for more than a century. The types of doping agents and techniques have changed over the years, and the sports governing bodies continue to struggle to address the issue. It is also likely that the advent of new technologies such as genetic engineering will pose a new set of challenges, issues, and ethical questions for not Just cycling but other sports. 3 REASONS FOR DOPING The following are reasons people abuse steroids: To improve their athletic performance: Anabolic steroids help the human body in the metabolism of ingested proteins and the synthesis of skeletal muscles. This is because testosterone levels are high in the body so more dietary proteins are retained in the body. This leads to the development of muscles, bones and skin. Also, anabolic steroids delay fatigue of the human body and make sportsmen and women train intensely for longer periods. It also creates a feeling of euphoria and a sense of pleasure boosting the athletes confidence during training and creating a sense of determination to ensure a win during a competition. To promote aggressiveness: The androgenic characteristics of testosterone are associated with masculinity and this affects the aggressiveness in athletes instilling some sense of competitiveness. This competitiveness could be a desirable trait in sports. 4 To increase their muscle size or to reduce their body fat: Sometimes, people who abuse steroids may be suffering from a behavioral syndrome known as muscle dysmorphia. This condition makes the individuals have a distorted image of their bodies. Men with muscle dysmorphia think that they look small and weak even if they are large and muscular. Also, women with this condition think they look fat and flabby even though they are actually lean and muscular. Sometimes, these people may have experienced physical or sexual abuse Peer pressure: This is particular of adolescents who take risks such as drinking and driving at the same time, carrying a gun, driving a motorcycle without a helmet and abusing other illicit drugs. They believe doping especially anabolic steroids would make them perform these actions and help them blend in with their peers. 5 TYPES OF DOPING IN CYCLING 1. EPO (erythropoietin) EPO is a chemical form of blood doping that first came about in the late 1980s llowing aerobic potential to be increased by increasing the bloods oxygen transfer capacity. EPO artificially boosts the bodys red blood cell count and thus the efficiency with which oxygen is transported around the body, improving performance. It is done by injecting erythropoietin a hormone produced by the kidneys that stimulates production of red blood cells and it gives a massive advantage in performance. The greater the amount of red blood cells available, the more oxygen can be carried from the lungs to the muscles for metabolism increasing endurance. Health implications Inappropriate use of erythropoietin may increase the risk of thrombotic events, such as stroke, heart attack and pulmonary oedema due to increased blood viscosity resulting from increased number of red blood cells. 6 2. Blood Doping The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) defines blood doping as The misuse of certain techniques and/or substances to increase ones red blood cell mass, which allows the body to transport more oxygen to muscles and therefore increase stamina and performance. 7An athlete has healthy blood removed during periods when the body is at its freshest (e. after a period of rest). This blood is stored and transfused back into the rider when needed. The benefit of a transfusion of half a litre of blood can provide the athlete with an additional half litre of oxygen to muscles per minute, at the same time increasing the capacity of the muscles to use oxygen by up to five percent. Autologous blood transfusion (transfusion of your own blood) is not detectable and is perhap s not technically doping, but remains a banned technique affording a massive boost to an athlete over fatigued competition. Health implications The simple act of increasing the number of red blood cells in blood may be ssociated with hyper viscosity syndrome which is characterized by increased blood viscosity and decreased cardiac output and blood flow velocity which results in the reduction of peripheral oxygen delivery. 7This increases the chances of heart attack, stroke, phlebitis, and pulmonary embolism, which nas been seen in cases where there is too much blood reintroduced into the blood stream. Because blood doping increases the volume of red blood cells, it effectively introduces a condition called polycythaemia, a blood disorder that has known adverse outcomes such as heart attacks or strokes. 3. Human Growth Hormone This is administered with the aim of increasing strength and muscular power (to improve technique). Proteins, natural or synthetic anabolic agents in combination with hyper-protein diets and muscle-building exercises are frequently used. The balance between the increase in muscle mass and the loss of fat mass can be maintained by growth hormones associated with amino acids, drugs with anabolic properties, or with nutritional supplements. 8 Growth hormones stimulate cell growth, aids in muscle mass building and their recovery. Typically it is injected prior to a period of training (to aid muscle development during training), but can be used uring competition to speed up recovery from fatigue. Health implication Abuse of HGH leads to thickening of the bones (particularly the Jaw bone), swelling of hands and feet and increased organ growth. 4. Steroids A primary form of cheating that has occurred in professional cycling is found in the use of performance-enhancing drugs, including anabolic steroids. There are various steroids that enhance muscle development and the kidneys ability to produce natural EPO. Testosterone being one of them both accelerates the bodys EPO production ability, and aids in muscle recovery. Steroids are naturally or man-made ompounds that can increase muscle size, strength and power. It also increases aggression and competitiveness, and allows one to train harder, for longer by increasing an individuals threshold to pain. Health implications In males the known side effects are kidney damage, development of breasts, premature baldness, shrinking and hardening of testicles, sterility and impotence, acne, increased aggression and sexual appetite. In females the side effects to subjects have been the development of male features (such as facial hair a deepening of the voice), cause increased aggression, mood swings, depression, rregular periods and increase the risk of Jaundice and liver damage. 5. Stimulants Substances like Amphetamines, Ephedrine, Cocaine, Ecstasy Salbutamol act on the brain to stimulate the body mentally and physically, allows athletes to compete at higher levels for longer by reducing feelings of tiredness, and can aid weight loss. 8 Health implications Nervousness and irritability, which make it hard to concentrate on the game. Insomnia, which can prevent an athlete from getting needed sleep. Addiction or tolerance, meaning that athletes need greater amounts to achieve the desired effect, o theyll take doses that are much higher than the intended medical dose. . Amphetamines Amphetamines are a stimulant, and mimic the effect of adrenaline on the central nervous system. Users may teel more alert, more energetic and less tatigued Abuse of amphetamines remains tied to one of cyclings most tragic stories, the death of British rider Tom Simpson on Mont Ventoux during the Tour de France in 1967 due to heart failure brought on by a combination of heat, dehydra tion, physical stress and the drugs he had taken on the morning of the race. 9 7. Diuretics Are products that help eliminate fluid from the body (such as Acetazolamide, Chlorthalidone and Triamterene). 8 They are used to lose weight quickly (water) and to disguise the presence of other banned substances by increasing the rate at which urine is produced and expelled. Health implications Side effects are constituted by dehydration, dizziness, cramps, headaches, nausea, kidney damage, and easily detectable. METHODS USED BY ATHLETES TO EVADE DETECTION 1 . Masking EPO with enzymes. The cyclist conceals an enzyme called protease on himself and dips his fingers in the powder before giving his urine sample, he then urinates over his fingers into the sample bottle. 10 2. Mask Dope With Illegal Powders. The powder is packed into a solid the size of a grain of rice, which is inserted into the urethra of the penis before the urine sample is given. 10 3. Taking EPO in Micro- doses. Allows riders to keep slightly elevated levels of hemacrits at all times. 10 4. Substitute Urine. Powdered synthetic urine is kept on hand and mixed with water when needed. 10 5. Bribery10 6. Hiding. Avoiding test. 10 PREVENTION OF DOPING The following ways increase the bodys strength and appearance: Training regularly without the using of drugs enhances performance by increasing skill, technique and fitness levels. Maintaining appropriate and healthy dietary ractices: This involves eating a balanced diet containing all the food nutrients in their right proportions. These food nutrients will enhance growth, build the body well and prevent diseases and infections. Adequate rest: Sleep is very important for the body and prevents the body from working under stress. Adequate rest causes body to heal and will make one relaxed and train very well. Avoiding injuries by playing safely and using protective gear. This is because a lot of professional athletes have been found to dope after coming back from injuries to help them compete on a level playing field. Ђ Introduction of more stringent rules such as life time bans, prison sentences and hefty fines would deter athletes from doping. CONCLUSION In conclusion, doping might give athletes a superior physical edge over their competitors increasing their chances of winning. However it comes at a very heavy price; it has serious short and long term mental and physical health implications, when found out one will be stripped of his titles. In my humble opinion, the best way to win is by having a thorough knowledge of the physical demands and requirements for the sport, maintenance of a healthy lifestyle, and an appreciation of the atistaction that comes trom participation even without the winning.