Doping Is Not Sporting

Posting Date: 06/03/1999

You know my view about using drugs and supplements to build muscles or increase athletic performance ? don?t do it. Most drugs, steroids, or supplements don?t live up to their billing and even if they did, the side effects can be dangerous to your health.

There are some substances ? like the so-called Mark McGwire muscle building supplement known as "andro" ? that are banned by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the National Football League and other organizations, but not by professional baseball.

However, even the IOC?s drug policy isn?t clear to everyone. Some athletes still flaut the "doping" rules and get away with it.

This brings up the question of what constitutes doping? An IOC definition of doping was published in the Forensic Drug Abuse Advisor. Here it is:

Doping: "The use of an artifice, whether substance or method, potentially dangerous to athletes? health and/or capable of enhancing their performances, or the presence in the athlete?s body of a substance, or the ascertainment of the use of a method on the list annexed to the Olympic Movement Anti-Doping Code."

I wonder where this definition leaves a substance like creatine, which may boost performance but is relatively harmless. Also, some athletes question whether working out in high altitudes to make more red blood cells would fall under the doping definition.

The IOC is trying to set some standards for athletes in the face of an overwhelming drug and supplement market. Doping shouldn?t be allowed because it goes against the whole idea of fairly competing in a sporting event.

Source: Forensic Drug Abuse Advisor, March 3, 1999.

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