Everytime the Olympics begin, there is always news about athletes being tested for the so-called "performance-enhancing drug". The public is never really sure whether their loyal athletes are clean when they begin that race or start that swim. But why take them? Do these drugs actually allows athletes to go faster or become stronger? How are athlete's tested? What are the side effects of taking these drugs? Performance-enhancing drugs have always been an issue in the Olympics.
Why Take Drugs?
From the day an athlete decides that they want to compete in the Olympics, they have one goal. It is to win and take home a medal. In order to accomplish this goal, the athlete must go through vigorous training in a short amount of time. For some, this isn't a satisfactory guarantee for victory. This is when drugs come into the story. Many athletes believe that taking drugs will help them run faster, become stronger and have better confidence. They want to win so badly that are willing to risk their health and their careers.
The main reasons athletes take drugs are:
- build muscles mass
- strengthens bones
- mask pain
- stimulate the athlete's body
- reduce weight
- relax and stay calm before a race
- hide other drugs inside the system
Types of Performance Enhancing Drugs
Though performance enhancing drugs usually refer to steroids, there are actually six types. They are:
"Lean Mass Builders": these drugs are commonly used to amplify the growth of muscles and lose fat quickly. These drugs include anabolic steroids, and various human growth hormones.
Stimulants: these drugs are used to "stimulate" the athlete's body to make them perform at their best or possibly better than their best. It increases alertness, reduces fatigue and increases competitive aggressiveness. These drugs include caffeine and amphetamines.
Painkillers: these drugs hide the athlete's pain so that they may perform farther than their bodies would usually allow. Painkiller drugs increase blood pressure and provide red blood cells with more oxygen then normal. These drugs include NSAIDs and narcotics.
Sedatives: these drugs are more commonly used by athletes who require steady hands and preciseness such as sharp shooting or archery. This drug calms down nerves and relaxes the body. Some examples include alcohol and marijuana.
Diuretics: these drugs expel water from the athlete's system. Diuretics are mostly used by wrestlers who need to lower their weight to meet weight restrictions.
"Masking Drugs": these drugs are used to hide the use of other drugs in the system. Examples include epitestosterone, a drug with no performance-enhancing abilities but will restore the testosterone/epitestosterone ratio in the human body which could have changed due to the use of an illegal drug.
Testing for Drugs
Athletes Who Used Performance Enhancing Drugs
In the Olympics, many athletes through the years have admitted or tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. There are 6 different categories of drugs that are banned in the Olympics are :
Stimulants | Narcotic analgesics |Cannabinoids |Anabolic agents |Peptide hormones |Beta-2 agonists|Masking agents | Glucocorticosteroids
The International Olympic Committee ( IOC) has decided to improve the drug tests performed on athletes in order to keep their integrity to the fame. The 2008 Beijing Olympics had 3,667 athletes take the drug test where blood and urine samples were checked, as well as blood doping ( which enhances their aerobic capacity and endurance). The IOC banned drug use in 1967 and since then, many athletes have been caught and potentially stripped of any metals they have earned at the games.
Canadian 100m sprinter Ben Johnson , became most publicized doping-related disqualification, for using stanozolol in the 1988 Seoul Olympics. His gold medal for the 100m was awarded to his rival, and runner up American Carl Lewis, who was the one who started the rumour of Johnson's possible doping.
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Ben Johnson at the 1988 Seoul Olympics
Eric 'Randy' Barnes was an American shot-putter with two world records in both indoor and outdoor shotput. In the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Barnes won the gold medal with a throw of 21.62m. In 1998, he tested positive for androstenedione, and even though his he claimed he didn't know it was banned, the IOC banned him from competing in the Olympics for life. Even though his reputation has been tainted, both his world records still stands as of the Beijing Olympics Games.
Randy Barnes- shotput
Sports Technology
A big part of enhancing performance lies within the sports equipment and suits athletes wear. Below are some legal performance-enhancing clothing that athletes wear.
Swimming
The Fastskin is brand new swimsuit designed by Speedo that give swimmers the extra bit of speed they need to win a race. The Fastskin reveals a new biometric design surface that mimics shark skin. It is supposed to improve shape retention and increase muscle compression which reduces fatigue and loss of power. This suit also lowers drag the most in comparison to previous swimsuits. Studies show that swimmers wearing the Fastskin were 7.5% faster than swimmers that did not. The fabric also has V-shaped denticle prints (see below), which make the body more hydrodynamic as it slides through the water. The Fastskin is available for both male and female swimmers. There are the Fastskin Jammers, Legskins, Kneeskins, and full Bodysuits.
V-shaped denticles on the Speedo Fastskin
Gymnastic Suits
Like most other sports which requires movement and speed combined, the tight, skin-like gymnastic suits help reduce drag from the body when performing a stunt midair. For female athletes their suits or leotards are in the shape of a one-piece swimsuit. Materials are not used to cover the legs because in enables the athletes to acquire more flexible movements into their routines. Male athletes wear a unitard that covers their legs.The tightness of the material around her body allows the air to experience less drag and friction, than a suit that is loose. Tying back your hair is also required to reduce the amount of surface area the air will face when going through your hair. Each event requires a different leotard to matched the colour of the apparatus as well as the music on the routine and is usually made with lycra or velours material. Click herefor more information on gymnastics.
Shawn Johnson mid-air split
gymnast on the Parallel Bars
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