Drugs in sport
Why performers take drugs
Some performers take (PEDs), which are banned in sport, because of:
- pressure to win, from coaches, sponsors, fans or their country
- the rewards of winning: money, fame and sponsorship
- believing their rivals are taking them
- wanting to recover faster from training or injury
- wanting to calm nerves or cope with pressure.
This note explains what these drugs do and their risks. They are dangerous to health, and banned.
Key terms
Three types of drug
| Drug | What it does | Sports where it might be used | Side effects |
|---|---|---|---|
| Copy the hormone testosterone: increase , and speed up recovery so the performer can train harder | Strength and power events: weightlifting, sprinting, throwing | Liver damage, heart disease, high blood pressure, aggression, acne, infertility | |
| and block the effects of adrenaline, so the performer is calm with steady hands | Precision sports: archery, shooting, snooker | Tiredness, low blood pressure, a very slow heart rate, poor circulation | |
| Make the performer more alert, less tired and more competitive | Sports needing alertness or endurance: sprinting, cycling, contact sports | High blood pressure, an irregular heartbeat, anxiety, poor sleep, addiction |
Key terms
The impact of drugs
On performers:
- serious risks, the side effects above
- bans from competing, and losing medals and titles
- losing and money
- a damaged reputation, and losing respect.
On sport:
- competition becomes unfair to clean performers
- fans lose trust in results, and may stop watching
- sponsors may pull out
- costs a lot of money
- young people may copy drug-taking .
Exam tip
Match the drug to the sport and explain why: 'an archer might take beta blockers to keep their hands steady, so they aim more accurately'.