February 6, 2006 Hello! The 2006 Winter Olympics have already sparked some controversy. "'Doping is cheating.
Doping is akin to death. Death physiologically, by profoundly altering,
sometimes, irreversibly, normal processes through unjustified manipulations.
Death physically, as certain tragic cases in recent years have shown.
But also death spiritually and intellectually, by agreeing to cheat
and conceal one's capabilities, by recognising one's incapacity
or unwillingness to accept oneself, or to transcend one's limits.
And finally death morally, by excluding oneself de facto
from the rules of conduct required by all human society.' H. E.
Juan Antonio Samaranch, President, International Olympic Committee" While few will argue that performance enhancing drugs are fair, many fail to remember that their use does more than just cheat one's opponents -- their use is dangerous. "People have always
attempted to artificially improve their performances using relatively
simple methods. At the Rome Games in 1960, a Danish runner died
after having taken a strong dose of amphetamines. The history of
the Games is littered with doping cases that have always damaged
the spirit of sport as much as the athletes themselves. That is
why, for more than 30 years, the IOC has been radically
against doping for the following principles: With so many substances to remember, athletes must be vigilant. "It is each Athlete's
personal duty to ensure that no Prohibited Substance enters his
or her body. Athletes are responsible for any Prohibited Substance
or its Metabolites or Markers found to be present in their bodily
Specimens. ... The Prohibited List is the list published and revised
by WADA pursuant to the Code. The NOCs [National Olympic Committees]
shall be responsible for ensuring that their delegations, including
their Athletes, are made aware of such Prohibited List. Ignorance
of the Prohibited List shall not constitute any excuse whatsoever
for any participant in any capacity in the Olympic Games." As we have recently seen, not being vigilant has its consequences. "Jan.10, 2006, 10:04
pm CST; Updated: Jan.11, 2006, 1:13 am CST Banned substances include more than just steroids and performance enhancers. Blockers, such as Finasteride, are banned because they can hide the use of other substances; even high levels of hemoglobin can be a cause for concern. "Four more cross-country
skiers received five-day suspensions Friday for testing positive
for high levels of hemoglobin in their blood, bringing the total
to 12 in two days. ... There is no proof that the athletes did anything
wrong: Elevated hemoglobin can be caused by simple dehydration or
the body's acclimation to mountain air. But the test result raises
the possibility of blood doping with synthetic hemoglobin or transfusions
to increase the oxygen in the muscles. ... Athletes who fail blood
tests are retested five days later. ... 'We are confident that five
days is a sufficient time to allow for the blood values to normalize
if they are the result of living at a high altitude or dehydration,'
said Bengt Saltin, chairman of the FIS medical committee. 'However,
a five-day period is not sufficient to remove the impact of EPO
(erythropoietin) or blood transfusion.' " Whatever the cause of the irregular blood test, the concerns are the same: the health of the athlete, the integrity of the athlete and the sport, and the fairness of the event. "Athletes sometimes
take anabolic steroids because of their testosterone-like effects,
such as increasing muscle mass and strength. Steroids can be taken
in the form of pills, powders, or injections. Another group of anabolic
steroids, sometimes called steroidal supplements, contain dehydroepiandrosterone
(DHEA) and/or androstenedione (also known as andro). Steroidal supplements
are often sold at health food stores or gyms. The effects of steroidal
supplements aren't well known, but it's thought that, when taken
in large doses, they cause effects similar to stronger anabolic
steroids like testosterone. Here's what is known: companies that
manufacture steroidal supplements often make claims that are false
and very little is known about the long-term effects on the body
of some of these substances." New substances are banned as people try to create ways to get around what is currently included on the Prohibited List. As new uses for old substances are found, those are often added to the list, as well. "The Prohibited List
(List) was first published in 1963 under the leadership of the International
Olympic Committee. Since 2004, as mandated by the World Anti-Doping
Code (Code), WADA is responsible for the preparation and publication
of the List. A link to the list of banned substances is available at the site listed above. Questions of the Week:
Please email me with any ideas or suggestions. I look forward to reading what you have to say. Cindy |
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