Health and Physical EducationYear 9

Drugs in Sport

Name:

Class:

Drugs in Sport 1

Teacher:

A drug can be defined as any substance which, ‘when taken into the body, alters the way the body works’. Drugs can be legal as well as illegal – to make, sell or use. Drug use in sport affects athletes of all ages, sports and levels of competition to some extent. Drug use in sport is more than anabolic steroids or the deliberate use of drugs and substances to improve performance. It also involves medication used to treat illness and injury. All individuals involved in sport need to be aware of the many issues related to drugs and their influences on sporting performance.

The use of drugs in sport seems to be more prevalent these days, perhaps because people are now more aware of the problem, and testing procedures are more efficient. Some athletes use drugs to enhance their performance, to give them the ‘winning edge’, to make them bigger and more muscular, or to allow them to train harder or while injured. None of these reasons can b e justified when you consider the long-term effects. Including death, that can result.

There are no drugs that can be used to increase performance of the mind and body safely; the dangerous side effects far outweigh the questionable benefits. The side effects and consequences of drug taking are well known among athletes, but their desire to win is strong and many still take the chance to cheat and end up ruining their lives forever.

Testing procedures have been stepped up in most sports and in most countries, and more sophisticated equipment is being used. Apart from the health effects, athletes who take drugs face lifetime disqualification from all sports. Authorities will keep trying to eliminate the use of drugs in sports by educating players, coaches and officials of the dangers involved.

Drug problems are regularly featured in newspapers, on television and in music. But many people are not very knowledgeable about drugs, the effects they have on the body and the problems they cause.

Why are drugs used in sport?

Drugs In Sport 2

Why do athletes use drugs?

The elite athlete in today’s society is subject to many and varied pressures. The material and other rewards that come from being the best or near the top of the field has resulted in athletes trying to cover apparent weaknesses – physical or mental – by using artificial substances to improve performances.

Factors which may contribute to an athlete misusing drugs can be related to the drug itself, the person or their environment. Often the pressure to succeed is external in that the coach has his or her own pride of position at stake.

Class Activity:

Your teacher will place 3 signs around the room. These signs represent the 3 main factors that contribute to athletes missing drugs: Drug, Person and Environment.

Your teacher will read out descriptions of the main factors and your job is to identify which main factor it is related to. You are to walk to the area of the room with the sign that has that factor written on it.

Your teacher will write the class answers on the board. You are to copy the answers into the table below.

Drug Person Environment

Drugs in Sport 3

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!

Q. What is meant by the term ‘performance enhancing’ drug?

Q. Provide a description for the following types of ‘performance enhancing’ drugs:

Stimulants:

Steroids:

Hormones:

Diuretics:

Narcotics:

Cannabinoids:

Drugs In Sport 4

Q. Why do athletes take ‘performance enhancing’ drugs?

Q. Who is eligible to be drug tested?

Q. What consequences do athletes who use ‘performance enhancing’ drugs face if they are caught?

Q. What is “blood doping?” What are the positive and negative effects of blood doping?

Drugs in Sport 5

Factors Affecting Performance: Drugs in Sport

EFFECTS OF DRUGS ON SPORTS PERFORMANCE

The table below summaries the positive and negative effects that drugs have on the body. Some of the boxes have been filled in for you.Can you fill in the missing parts?

DRUG TYPE EXAMPLES POSITIVE EFFECT NEGATIVE EFFECT ASSOCIATED SPORTS

StimulantsTissue damageHeat exhaustionLiver/brain damage

Depressants/tranquilisers Beta-blockers

Narcotic analgesics Cycling

Anabolic agentsIncrease strengthIncrease powerIncrease aggression

DiureticsWeight liftingHorse racingRowing

Drugs in Sport

6

“The abuse of steroids is most common among professional athletes and bodybuilders.”(Better Health Channel, 2009)

Through research, label on the diagrams the potential side effects of different anabolic steroids for both men and women.

Draw a line to the affected area of the body and write a description of the side effect.

MEN WOMEN

Drugs in Sport 7

Permanent liver damage.

Liver tumours.

Baldness

ANABOLIC STEROID EFFECTS

Instructions

1. Read and answer the clues. The previous activity will help you answer the clues.

2. Search for the hidden answers.The words in the puzzle can be forward, backward and diagonal.

S D E R N W D S M S R G SN T R N I Y W Q D E Y B DC G U U C K L I G N B E TI N A N G A A N E H R G EL I L J T S A C H M E A SO D F Z H E O C S I A R TB L I N R M D T K R S D IA A X E A O E H U Z T I CN B V S Z B L S E N S O LA I T U M A W Y T I A R EL I H T G N E R T S G E SA N O I S S E R P E D H PE S A E S I D T R A E H T

CLUES:1. A skin problem caused by anabolic steroid use.

2. Those who share needles or vials to take steroids by injection are at risk for this life threatening disease.

3. Steroid users have a hard time controlling this emotion.

4. Loss of hair caused by steroid use.

5. These body parts can grow on males who use steroids.

6. Feeling of sadness caused by steroid use.

7. The muscle that has increased disease from steroid use.

8. Yellow eyes can occur with anabolic steroid use because of disease in this organ.

9. One of the main reasons that people take steroids, to increase this.

Drugs in Sport 8

10. Adolescent steroid users’ bodies are tricked into thinking they are fully grown, resulting in this.

11. Important male body parts which shrink as a result of steroid use.

Drugs in Sport 9

Based on your knowledge of drug use in sport, write a response to the following (your thoughts):

1. Athletes who are caught using drugs should be disqualified if they finish in the top three.

2. All competitors in the Olympic Games should be tested for drugs before their event.

3. Doctors who knowingly prescribe illegal drugs to athletes should be banned from medical practice, just as the drug user is banned from competition._

WHO’S WHOWHO’S WHOin

Sport and Performance Enhancing Drug Use

Athlete Sport Name of Drug and Type Consequences

Marion Jones

Barry Bond

Ben Johnson

Florence Griffith Joyner

Shane Warne

Michelle Smith

Technology in Sport

Read the following statements. Choose which opinion you support. Construct a short response supporting your argument and justifying your opinion.

1. External Goals (winning) justifies any means. No distinction between acceptable and unacceptable technology, therefore all of the following are acceptable.

Improved equipmentImproved training equipmentDopingGenetic Technology

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Producing Best Performance (Eq. Fastest 100m sprint)Standardisation of equipment in competitionFew/NO regulations of performance enhancement outside competitive setting (during training all means are permitted. During competition regulations exist)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. Sport-Performances are a matter of our abilities to cultivate our talent through training and our efforts in competition

Standardization of equipment used in competition – to ensure the most successful athlete is successful rather that the most successful technology/equipmentIn training, technology should also be regulatedPerformance enhancing technologies require no athlete effort should be banned i.e. high altitude chambersPerformance enhancing technologies that cause harm should be banned i.e. doping

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

The excerpt below is from an article discussing the ethics of sports technology.

“Since the late-twentieth century, events in the sporting world have clearly illustrated the ethical implications that arise from the use of technology in sports. A few examples are the development of running shoe technology; lighter and stronger implements, such as golf clubs, cricket bats, and tennis rackets; and innovations such as the Fast-Skin swimming suit, which was used for the first time at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. Many new sports technologies have been accepted. Technologically advanced running shoes, tennis rackets, bicycles, golf clubs, and others have been identified as beneficial improvements to sports because they enhance the safety of an activity or allow athletes to perform without interference from inadequate, cumbersome technology.”

“Technology has even democratized participation in sports to some extent, with the mass production of equipment permitting more people to play sports with the same kind of equipment used by elite athletes. However, this has also carried a burden of making elite sports subservient to the public or more specifically, sport spectators. Television audiences often dictate scheduling for competitions, which raises problems for sports federations, because so-called prime-time television schedules can conflict with the time of day when it is most desirable for athletes to compete.” http://www.bookrags.com/research/sports-este-0001_0004_0/

Working in pair, read the article above and construct a point of view supporting whether modern technology has devalued elite sporting performance. Justify your response by giving examples from you experiences and research from the internet.

1. Modern technology has devalued elite sporting performance making sport easier by developing new equipment and attire for everyday use by regular people.

or

2. Modern technology has played an integral role in elite sport only and has not devalued the sporting achievement from elite athletes

Sporting Technology vs Performance Enhancing Drugs

On this page, you will find three statements regarding performance enhancement. Choose one of the three and write a 250 word essay supporting that statement. The opinion you express is individual. Use your own beliefs and opinions and information from the internet and your booklet to support your statement.

1. The evolution of technology and science in sport and the development of new techniques are acceptable in the elite sporting world. Performance enhancing drugs are not in any way shape or form.

2. The evolution of technology and performance enhancing drugs has resulted in the winner not necessarily being the best athlete. Both should be banned or regulated.

3. It is completely acceptable to do everything necessary to be the winner. The winner should be a combination of a good athlete and a great sport science and technology team.

*Tip - you may want to comment on the fairness of sporting technology, health benefits or health problems. Make sure you find enough evidence to confidently argue your point.

Within your design, you are to include the following informationChoose 1 (one) type of drug you have learnt about in class and discuss:The type of drug and provide examplesReasons for using the drugPositive effects on performance, career and healthNegative effects on performance, career and healthSports which the drug is used most commonly in and for what reasonsLocation of additional information: resources, websites, phone numbers

TASK BACKGROUNDSchool sport at Ipswich State High School is very popular. Students

at the school are even displaying such high quality talents that they arebeing selected for state and national levels of competition. During this unit, you

have gained the knowledge and understanding about the affects of drug use and how drugs can affect athletes of all ages, sports and levels of competition.

As a result, to prepare the sporting students at Ipswich State High School fortheir future sporting lives and careers, your principal has asked you to

present research about how drugs in sport can affect anathlete’s performance, career and health.