PHASE 1 FAMILIARISATION
Welcome to the Level 4 Strength and Conditioning Award. In these two documents, you have
an opportunity to start learning straight away and help you get familiar with the learning
materials from Strength and Conditioning Education.
Below you will find two great articles from one of our elite strength and conditioning coaches.
One discusses what it takes to become a brilliant coach, understand the roles of others within
a performance environment and what types of communication suit each individual athlete.
This is an important subject as in the world of coaching, if you struggle to communicate your
thoughts and instructions to your clients you will be constantly fighting an uphill battle. This
article will help you understand the overall role of a strength and conditioning coach and
provide tools on how to become the most effective coach you can be.
In article number two, the coach dives into the effects of performance enhancing drugs and
what these drugs do to the body. As a coach, you may come across and athlete who takes
p.e.ds or is being tempted by them. The coach must understand what effects these can have
on the body so they can advise and educate the athlete on why they should avoid them. By
being informed, it can also help you recognise if an athlete is using them or there are signs
you should be looking out for.
We are excited to see you start your journey with Strength and Conditioning Education and
look forward to working with you in your development to becoming a brilliant coach!
Kind Regards
The Strength and Conditioning Education Team
Becoming a Brilliant Coach
The aim of this module is to learn about the roles and responsibilities of the strength & conditioning
(S&C) coach, including; knowledge of codes of practice, health & safety and Legal policies. The S&C
coach also needs to understand the different learning and coaching styles and how these can be
applied in order to maximise the coaching environment.
The role of the S&C Coach
The role of the S&C coach is to bridge the gap between the theory and application of training, helping
athletes to perform better and cope better with the stresses of their sport as well as also minimising
the risk of injury. The overall aim is to improve the athlete(s) both mentally and physically through the
integration of a well-planned multidisciplinary training programme.
Prior to the delivery of any coaching or training sessions with an athlete the coach must make sure
the necessary screening and medical assessments are carried out to ensure the athlete is medically
safe to participate in the programme. Upon successful completion of the screening process a needs
analysis should be carried out and the training programme should be designed focusing upon the
individual needs of the athlete.
When delivering a training session, the S&C coach must ensure that the training environment is safe
and suitable for the type of session that is being administered, minimising potential hazards and
therefore, risk of injury to either the coach or the athlete(s). It is also important for the coach to create
a positive training environment which motivates and focuses the athlete(s) to maximise their effort
level. Being a good coach is about more than just delivering training sessions, it is about building a
deeper relationship with the athlete(s) that is built on understanding and trust. In order to effectively
build these relationships, the S&C coach must possess the following skill set;
• Communication – The S&C coach must be able to effectively listen, process and interpret
information that is given by the athlete(s). They need to also need to be able to effectively
explain and demonstrate through clear and precise instruction, in order that the athlete(s)
clearly understands what is expected and required of them within either a session or task.
• Empathetic – A good coach is able to show understanding of an athlete’s condition from their
perspective. Being able to place yourself in your athlete’s shoes and feel what they are
feeling. Empathy has been shown to increase prosocial (helping) behaviours, therefore in turn
increasing an athlete’s level of compliance and adherence to both the coach and the
programme.
• Honest & Transparent - To gain the trust of the athlete(s) the coach must possess integrity
and be seen to be trustworthy and loyal. Often an athlete may have issues or want to share
sensitive information with the coach and without these values this level of relationship may
be inhibited.
• Positive – The S&C must be positive and enthusiastic at all times when working with athletes.
It is well established that “positivity breads positivity” and by creating a positive and enjoyable
working environment will optimise the athlete’s training experience and therefore enhance
the overall training effect.
Fig 1. Good Coach Model
Supporting Personnel
As a S&C coach it is important to effectively be able to work as part of a multidisciplinary team to
provide a full support network to the athlete(s). It is important to know your remit within this team
and therefore; you need to have a good understanding of the roles of the other personnel involved. It
is also key to develop a good relationship and understanding with the other professionals within the
team, to work effectively and provide the best possible service to the athlete(s). As a S&C coach you
will often be required to bridge the gap between the technical coaches and the medical department,
therefore good relationships and communication between these personnel is necessary for the
programme to be successful.
• Head Coach (Technical) – The head coach has the responsibility of implementing the overall
training programme for the athlete(s), although this can be dependent upon the sport. The
head coach also has the responsibility of managing all the staff and athletes as well as having
to work effectively with the senior management and directors. It is essential that the S&C
coach has a good working relationship with the head coach to be able to influence the physical
conditioning element of the overall training programme. The S&C coach should be able to
align and incorporate the physical conditioning programme into the technical and tactical
programme to optimise training time and efficiency. The S&C coach should also be able to
effectively feed important objective information back to the coach post training, using specific
monitoring tools such as RPE’s, GPS and HR data, in order to be able to make
recommendations on future training sessions based upon these findings.
• Physiotherapist – The role of the physiotherapist is primarily to manage an athlete whilst they
are injured. Although the physio and S&C coach should be able to work closely together in
designing individualised injury reductions programmes for the athlete(s). This relationship is
equally important during the rehabilitation programme as often the athlete will require a
supplementary conditioning programme which runs alongside the injury specific
rehabilitation programme that has been prescribed by the physiotherapist. There will also be
a transition period for the injured athlete between working with the physio and returning to
training. This phase is often led by the S&C coach although the physio should still be involved
within the decision making and exercise prescription throughout this phase.
• Nutritionist / Chef – The role of nutritionist is to provide specific nutritional support to the
athlete(s) to enhance their health & wellbeing, as well as to enhance performance and
promote recovery through food and / or dietary supplementation. A nutritionist is still
generally a commodity within the multidisciplinary team, therefore it often becomes the role
of the S&C coach to educate the athlete(s) about nutrition and to implement nutritional and
supplementary strategies that aid to support both training and performance. It is often
common for the S&C coach to work closely with the teams or athlete’s chef / catering staff to
optimise the nutrition values of the food being provided to the athlete(s).
• Psychologist – The role of the psychologist is to improve the mental health of an athlete
through the implementation of psychological strategies such as goal setting, coping strategies,
and imagery and relaxation techniques. It is important that the S&C coach possesses a good
understanding of these techniques as many can be used within the coaching process to
enhance the athlete(s) participation within a session or training programme.
• Physiologist – Exercise physiologists are scientists who investigate the responses and
adaptations to exercise in athletes to improve physiological performance. Physiologists are
generally laboratory based and are often involved in the fitness testing and assessment
process which normally involves more invasive measures such as V02 max testing and
biochemical analysis through blood sampling.
• Physician –The role of the physician is to provide medical support to the athlete from both a
general and sports perspective. Often the physician will oversee the medical department and
is responsible for diagnosing injuries, referring athletes to other medical professionals;
including specialists and prescribing medicines.
Health and Safety
It is important that the S&C coach possesses a good understanding of the relevant health and safety
procedures regarding working with athletes to minimise any potential hazards and therefore risk of
injury. Coaches are responsible for the health and safety of the athletes in their charge. Coaches
should have access to first aid facilities and have the means by which to contact emergency services.
The coach could be liable if evidence can show that normal standards and practices have not been
followed. Coaches need to be aware of their legal responsibilities, especially with respect to the advice
they give their athletes and the way they manage and supervise participation in sport. Coaches have
a legal responsibility to their athletes and should give appropriate advice and guidance and not offer
advice beyond their level of qualification. It is also important that a risk assessment form is completed
when training an athlete in a new facility or venue. All coaches should have appropriate insurance that
covers both public liability and personal accidents. Many governing bodies include insurance as part
of their affiliation fee.
Coaches Codes of Practice
The Code of Ethics and Conduct for Sports Coaches has been developed by the National Foundation
for the Code of Ethics which was published by the British Institute of Sports Coaches (BISC). The code
is simply a framework within with to work and is to be used as a series of guidelines rather than as a
set of instructions. Therefore, it is not part of any existing legislation. All coaches in the UK should be
aware of it as a course of good practice. The code details various areas and issues with which all sports
coaches are expected to conform to. These ethical standards cover many areas including the following:
Humanity- Coaches must respect the rights, dignity and worth of every human and their ultimate right
to self-determination. Coaches must treat everyone equally and with sensitivity within the context of
their ability and the activity which they undertake.
Relationships - Coaches must be concerned primarily with the well-being safety, protection and future
of the individual. One of the key elements in a relationship between coach and individual is for the
coach to develop the notion of independence with the individual athlete or performer. The athlete
should be encouraged to accept responsibility for their own behavior and performance in both training
and competition. As the relationship between coach and individual is a working relationship, the
boundaries of this must be monitored by the coach especially when the individual is a young person.
Commitment - Coaches should clarify in advance with individuals the number of sessions, fees and
method of payments. They should also explore with individuals their expectations from the coaching
sessions. If the coach has any other coaching commitments these should be disclosed to the individual
and vice versa. If at any stage there becomes a conflict between the coach’s obligations to an
individual and to the National Governing Body which they adhere to they should immediately make
clear this conflict to all parties involved.
Cooperation - Coaches must communicate and cooperate with other sports and allied professions in
the best interests of the individual under their coaching. For example, they should communicate with
the education authorities and career counselors in relation to young performers whose involvement
in sport may affect their studies.
Integrity - Coaches must not encourage individuals to violate the rules of their sport. Similarly, coaches
must not compromise their athlete’s by advocating measures that could constitute unfair advantage.
Coaches must ensure that the activities, training and completion program’s they put in place are direct
or appropriate for the age, maturity, experience and ability of the individual performer or athlete. At
no point should a coach advocate or encourage the use of prohibited drugs or any other performance
enhancing substance.
Advertising - Advertising by sports coaches specifically means that they must accurately represent
their qualifications, training and services when advertising for new clients. Evidence must be able to
be presented in relation to their current qualifications and to support any claim associated with the
promotion of their services.
Confidentiality- It is an inevitable factor due to the relationship between coach and individual
performer or athlete that the coach must gather a large amount of personal information about them.
Consequently, it us up to the coach and the individual to decide on what information is to be regarded
as confidential and therefore unable to be transferred to a third party without their consent.
Abuse of Privilege - A sports coach is seen to be privileged to be in regular contact with performers
and occasionally to travel and reside together during their coaching or competitive practice a coach
must not attempt to exert undue influence to obtain personal benefit or reward. Coaches must not
smoke or drink while coaching. They must not do anything which may affect their competence to
coach and which would compromise the safety of the individual performer or athlete.
Safety - Coaches must ensure that all reasonable steps have been taken to ensure a safe working
environment. This means that the work done should be kept in practice with the standards required
by the National Governing Body. Coaches also have a duty to protect children from harm and abuse.
Competence - Coaches shall only practice in those elements of sport for which their training and
competence is recognized by the appropriate National Governing Body. The National Occupational
Standards for Coaching, Teaching and Instructing along with the approved National Governing Body
coaching awards provide the framework for establishing competence at the different levels of
coaching practice.
Further information on the coach’s code of practice can be found at http://www.inbrief.co.uk/sports-
law/requirements-for-sports-coaches.htm
Learning Styles
There is no one right or wrong way when it comes to learning. Some athletes may find that they learn
best when taught in a specific manner, while others may find that that manner is confusing and
difficult to understand. The different ways or approaches to learning are known as learning styles.
There are several different styles that athlete’s may gravitate toward, and some may even combine
various aspects of several styles. Often, individuals start to develop their personal learning styles at
an early age therefore, it is equally important that coaches take the various learning styles into
consideration when developing programmes and when instructing their athletes. It is important for
individuals to discover what their personal preferences are when it comes to learning, as it will help
them in their development. There are various learning styles, some of the most common are visual,
auditory, and tactile.
Visual learners are individuals who learn best by using their sense of sight. They learn best with
presentations such as slide shows, videos, charts, graphs, and pictures. When attempting to study or
otherwise remember things, it is helpful for visual learners to visualize the materials. Visualization is
also helpful when it comes to performing a specific task either during training or competition. This
type of learner will benefit from using video footage that they used while preparing for competition
looking at both their own performances as well as looking at footage of their opposition. A good
example of this would be to video an athlete performing a skill or exercise such as a squat, then
showing them the video back in slow motion so that they can visually see how well they performed
the movement and what they need to improve on when performing the movement again. Most
coaches will now have a video camera on their phone or tablet which makes video analysis much more
convenient for coaches.
For the auditory learner, hearing is their greatest asset when it comes to learning. Hearing things
repeated is helpful for this type of learner. These types of athletes respond best to clear and concise
verbal instructions either before, during or after performing a particular task or activity. Again, using
the squat as an example, by giving the athlete specific instructions prior to performing the exercise
i.e. feet shoulder width apart, maintain your weight through your heels, keep your back straight and
chest up should enable them to grasp an understanding of what is required of them. This may need
to be followed up by more verbal instruction either during or after the exercise either to re enforce
positive actions or to correct any mistakes being made.
For some individuals, learning is easiest when they can physically move or touch the material that is
being learned. This type of learning is called tactile / kinaesthetic learning. Individuals who are tactile
learners do best when they are being taught with a more hands-on method that allows them to touch
and physically interact with what is being taught. These types of athletes do well when working in a
practical environment and by physically practicing a skill or task. A good strategy for this type of
learning style with athletes is to get them working in pairs or small groups and get them to help coach
one another. This method will help to reinforce positive learning through instructing or coaching
another athlete as well as by the athlete performing and practicing the skill themselves.
Fig 2. Different Learning Styles
Coaching Styles
Coaching styles can vary. Coaches may have a preferred style of coaching, which is normally based on
their personality. A good coach needs to be adaptable and to be able to use different styles according
to the situation and the needs of the performers. Three main coaching styles have been identified:
Autocratic (Authoritarian), Democratic (Personable), Laissez-Faire (Casual).
Autocratic- Whereby the coach makes all the decisions and the athlete(s) merely does what they are
told. This coach will be a strong disciplinarian and likes to be in control. Implicit in this style is that the
coach has all the information and the knowledge.
Democratic - Involves shared decision- making. This coach will guide performers towards selecting
and achieving their goals. Implicit in this style is that the coach provides leadership in the form of
positive guidance.
Laissez-Faire – Whereby the coach makes few decisions. There are little organised attempts to
influence or teach. Implicit in this style is that the players take ownership and make the decisions.
All three styles have advantages and disadvantages. Coaches should be able to change styles and know
they are doing so for a reason. For example - when there is a safety issue, the style must be autocratic.
Many coaches use an 'autocratic style' for all the session, telling the athlete(s) what to do. This is
because they like to have control. Coaches need to delegate some of the control, empowering athletes
to think, to input ideas and to make decisions. It is also important for coaches to use different styles
because individuals respond in different ways. Some athletes are motivated by one approach more
than another. It is important to try to work with athletes and to keep their enthusiasm and motivation.
There is a greater chance of this happening if the coach is flexible in their approach and can change
styles within a session, appropriate to the situation and the needs of the athlete(s).
The Coaching Process
Now that you are familiar with the different learning and coaching styles, it is important to understand
how as a coach you can manipulate your coaching style to best suit the needs of the athlete(s) and
therefore maximise your session time with the athlete(s). It is important to use a combination of all
three coaching and learning styles, although as shown in fig 2. Most athletes will be visual learners,
which mean that they will learn best through seeing, therefore a visual demonstration followed by
visual feedback will best suit most athletes. Although there are some specific tests/questionnaire’s
that can be used on your athlete(s) to determine what type of learner they are and what type of
coaching style they will best respond to. There are specific processes that can be followed when
coaching exercises such as the NAMSET acronym which represents the following;
N= Name of the Exercise
A= Area of the body worked
M= Muscles used
S= Silent demonstration
E= Explanation of the exercise
T= Teach the exercise
This method is basic but includes verbal, visual and kinaesthetic learning styles to suit all learning
styles. It is also important to remember that a coaching session is not something that is done ‘to’ the
athlete(s) but something that is done ‘with’ the athlete(s). Coaching is not just a process but a journey
that involves the athlete(s) thoughts, feelings and decisions. When it comes to the delivery of a
coaching session the 3M + 3P should be applied.
• Manageable – Can you do it in context of the time, facilities and personnel available?
• Measurable – Can you measure in terms of progress?
• Motivational – Do you and the athlete look forward to doing it?
• Practical – Can you do it with what you have?
• Personal – Can I make it fit the individual?
• Proactive – Do I have a plan in place?
It is also important as coaches to be familiar with the GROWL model, The GROWL Model is an acronym
standing for Goals, Reality, Options, Will & Learning highlighting the five key steps in the
implementation of the GROWL Model. By working through these five stages, the GROWL Model raises
an athlete’s awareness and understanding of; their own aspirations, their current situation and beliefs,
the possibilities and resources open to them; and the actions they want to take to achieve their
personal and professional goals. By setting goals which are inspiring and challenging as well as
specific, measurable and achievable in a realistic time frame, the GROWL Model successfully promotes
confidence and self-motivation, leading to increased productivity and personal satisfaction.
Goals – Goal setting is an essential part of the coaching process to give the athlete(s) focus and
direction. These goals should be SMART; specific, measurable achievable, realistic and tangible in
order to be effective and should be broken up into short, medium and long-term goals.
Reality–What is happening? What has the athlete(s) tried so far? What is conflicting with their goals
and what is derailing their progress towards achieving their goals.
Options – Explore the possible options the athlete(s) has towards helping them achieve their goals.
What do these options involve and are they realistic? What are the benefits and potential pitfalls of
these options?
Will / Way Forward – This is about the athlete converting their options into actions, by doing. Which
action steps will they take and when? And, what measurable feedback will be used to monitor their
progress?
Learning – This is the most crucial stage of the process. Has learning and development taken place? If
so how much and how was this achieved? By no means is this a one-off task, it should be a constant
process that occurs throughout the coaching process.
Further Reading
The Art of Coaching, Bird J and Gornall S. 2015.
Coaching for Performance: Growing Human Potential and Purpose - the Principles and Practice of
Coaching and Leadership, Witmore J, 2009.
The Coaching Manual: The Definitive Guide to The Process, Principles and Skills of Personal Coaching: The Definitive Guide to The Process, Principles and Skills of Personal Coaching (3rd Edition), Starr J,
Informed Coach: Drugs in Sport
With the increasing financial and personal rewards of being successful within sport athletes are
continuously pushing the boundaries to increase their physical capabilities and therefore their chances
of winning and being successful. Some athletes will go as far as taking performance enhancing drugs
to achieve this success. Recent examples of athletes who have been tested positive for banned
substances include; Maria Sharapova (Tennis), Dwayne Chambers (Athletics), Lance Armstrong
(Cycling) and Adrian Mutu (Football). Many of the athletes who test positive for taking banned
substances try to play innocent by claiming that “the substance was present in a medication they were
taking”. It is therefore the role of both the athlete and the support team to be aware of the banned
substance list and to ensure that any banned substances are not included in any medication or
supplements that the athlete may take.
Some substances are banned only during competition, while others depend on the method of
administration (for example inhalation versus tablet or injection form). The list of prohibited
substances is updated annually to keep up with advances in science and technology, with a new list
recently being issued on the 1st of January 2016. A substance is added to the list if it meets two of the
three criteria listed below:
• The potential for enhanced performance
• The potential for being detrimental to health
• Violation of the spirit of sport
In some cases, an athlete may have a pre-existing medical condition which requires them to take
medication which is listed. In this case the athlete can apply to their International Federation for a
Therapeutic Use Exemption which must be verified by their physician. To be accepted the following
must be true:
• The athlete would suffer significant health problems if they do not take the medication
• There is no suitable alternative which is not listed
• There are no considerable performance enhancing benefits
The Code
The World Anti-Doping Code is the core document that brings together anti-doping policies, rules and
regulations within sport organizations and among public authorities around the world. It works in
conjunction with five including: testing; laboratories; therapeutic use exemptions (TUEs); the list of
prohibited substances and the protection of privacy and personal information. This unified approach
addresses problems that previously arose from disjointed and uncoordinated anti-doping efforts,
including, among others: a scarcity and splintering of resources required to conduct research and
testing; a lack of knowledge about specific substances and procedures being used and to what degree;
and an inconsistent approach to sanctions for those athletes found guilty of doping. The Code has
proven to be a powerful and effective tool in the harmonization of anti-doping efforts worldwide. This
has been demonstrated by the overwhelming support of governments and sports in accepting the
Code, in addition to the growing body of jurisprudence from the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS)
in supporting the principles of the Code. The adoption of the Code led to several significant advances
in the global fight against doping in sport, including the formalization of certain rules and the
clarification of stakeholder responsibilities. This new approach to anti-doping brought consistency to
a previously disjointed system. The Code has also been instrumental in introducing the concept of
“non-analytical” rule violations. Non-analytical rule violations have allowed anti-doping organizations
to apply sanctions in cases where there is no positive doping sample, but where there may still be
evidence that a doping violation has occurred (e.g. through a combination of three missed tests /
Whereabouts failures; longitudinal testing; evidence brought forward through an investigation).
http://list.wada-ama.org/
The List of Prohibited Substances
Currently the prohibited list contains 5 classes of substances and 3 methods of doping which are
banned always and a further 4 substances banned during competition. The 5 classes of banned
substances include; Anabolic agents, peptide hormones, Beta-2 agonists, hormone and metabolic
modulators, diuretics and masking agents.
Anabolic Agents
Anabolic steroids are synthetic variations of the male sex hormone testosterone. The proper term for
these compounds is anabolic-androgenic steroids. "Anabolic" refers to muscle building, and
"androgenic" refers to increased male sex characteristics. Athletes and bodybuilders abuse these
drugs to boost performance or improve their physical appearance for competitions. Anabolic
steroids include all synthetic derivatives of testosterone, both oral and injectable. Examples of
anabolic steroids include testosterone, methyl testosterone, danazol, and oxandrolone. Anabolic
steroids are performance-enhancing agents and act by increasing lean muscle protein synthesis
and bodyweight, without increasing fat mass and would therefore be used predominantly by strength
or power athletes such as sprinters, whereby increased strength of the muscles can directly improve
performance.
Peptide Hormones
The category of peptide hormones, growth factors and related substances includes substances having
a variety of structures and effects. These proteins, produced by the body itself for the most part, act
as chemical messengers to stimulate the production of other substances. Some of these can be
produced artificially, to mimic what we produce naturally, and abused to enhance performance.
• Erythropoietin (EPO) - Is responsible for producing and maintaining levels of red blood cells
(erythrocytes). Once the body detects a decline in the supply of oxygen, EPO is synthesized in
the kidney. This then stimulates the production of red blood cells in bone marrow. EPO may
be used to perform better in endurance performances.
• Human Growth Hormone (HGH) - Has two main effects, acting directly as a chemical
messenger, but also indirectly to stimulate the production of other hormones. The hormone
regulates physical growth in adolescents and stimulates cell division. It also acts on the body
to reduce fat deposits, raise blood sugar levels and support the build-up of muscle tissue.
Athletes would use growth hormone to increase muscle size and strength.
• Insulin plays a fundamental role in the functioning of the human body by transporting glucose,
the body's main source of energy, from the blood to the muscles. A higher level of insulin is
released in response to the ingestion of food in order to assist in cell absorption of glucose
and amino acids. Insulin increases the synthesis of glycogen in the liver, stimulates the
production of fats from glucose and inhabits the conversion of proteins to glucose. Insulin
triggers many anabolic (building up) processes in metabolism, including synthesis of glycogen,
lipids and proteins. Originally used mainly in strength sports, insulin has in the meantime come
to be used in endurance sports also. Insulin and carbohydrates are combined in specific
preparation for competition to store larger amounts of energy in muscle cells
• Human chorionic gonadotrophin (HCG) - Is a hormone which is produced in large amounts
during pregnancy and by certain types of tumour. Some male athletes use pharmaceutical
preparations of HCG to stimulate testosterone production before competition and/or to
prevent testicular shutdown and atrophy during and after prolonged courses of androgen
administration. This hormone increases production of endogenous steroids and may be used
by athletes as it increases muscle size and strength when the athlete is in strength training
while also acting as a masking agent. HCG use in females would have no beneficial effect at all
in sport.
Beta-2 Agonists
Beta-2-Agonists are dilators which cause dilation (widening) of certain vessels by relaxing the smooth
muscle surrounding them. Inhaled forms of Beta-2-agonists (including salmeterol, salbutamol,
formoterol and terbutaline) are used for the treatment of asthma and exercise-induced
bronchospasm (EIB). Injected forms are most commonly used in the prevention of premature labour,
as they act to relax the smooth muscle of the uterus and so inhibit contractions. Inhaled forms used
for the treatment of asthma and EIB have no performance-enhancing effect and so are permitted for
use by WADA. The athlete must however be in receipt of an abbreviated therapeutic use exemption
(TUE). When administered by injection or tablet form they are thought to have anabolic effects
(increased muscle mass, reduced body fat percentage and faster recovery rates) and so their use is
prohibited.
Hormone and Metabolic Modulators
Anti-oestrogens are normally used in the treatment of women with breast cancer and other hormone-
dependent tumours as well as osteoporosis, and to stimulate ovulation. No medical use exists for the
treatment of men. Hormone antagonists and modulators, sometimes known as anti-oestrogenic
substances act to either decrease the amount of oestrogen in the body or block the oestrogen
receptors. The anti-oestrogenic drugs Tamoxifen and Clomiphene are used by both male and female
athletes. Males use Tamoxifen in conjunction with anabolic steroids in an attempt to prevent
gynecomastia (the development of oversized mammary glands in males). It is also used to increase
testosterone levels. Female body-builders and weight lifters have been known to use Tamoxifen as
blocking the oestrogen receptors leave testosterone unopposed, leading to an increase in masculine
features. These substances may be illegally used by athletes to counteract undesirable side effects
associated with anabolic steroid use such as gynecomastia.
Diuretics & Masking Agents
Diuretics and Masking Agents are products that dilute or mask a urine sample used in drug testing or
impair the excretion of a performance enhancing substance to conceal its presence in a urine sample.
Masking Agents eliminate fluid from the body to hide or “mask” a performance enhancing substance.
Diuretics reduce the concentration of a performance enhancing substance in the urine so the chance
of detecting the performance enhancing substance is decreased.
Examples of Masking Agents include; Alpha-Reductase Inhibitors, Probenecid and Plasma Expanders.
Examples of Diuretics include: Acetazolamide, Amiloride, Bumetanide, Canrenone, Chlorthalidone,
Ethacrynic Acid, Furosemide, Indapamide, Metolazone, Spironolactone, Thiazides and Triamterene.
Diuretics are more commonly used in weight sports where they athlete may need to lose body weight
to make the correct weight for competition.
Not only are all five of these categories of drugs on the prohibited or banned substance list they can
also possess significantly health risks. It is the responsibility of the support team to make an athlete
aware of these risks and strongly discourage the athlete from taking any prohibited substance. In
addition to these prohibited substances at all times there are a further four substances that are only
prohibited during competition, which includes; stimulants, narcotics, cannabinoids and
glucocorticoids.
Stimulants
Some athletes use stimulants to stimulate the central nervous system and increase heart rate and
blood pressure to improve endurance, reduce fatigue, suppress appetite, Increase alertness and
aggressiveness. Common stimulants include caffeine and amphetamines. Cold remedies often contain
the stimulants ephedrine or pseudoephedrine hydrochloride. Energy drinks, which are popular among
many athletes, often contain high doses of caffeine and other stimulants. The street drugs cocaine
and methamphetamine also are stimulants which are generally taken as recreational drugs. Certain
stimulants such as cocaine and amphetamines are prohibited totally whereas others such as pseudo-
ephedrine and caffeine are only allowed up to certain amounts (blood levels).
Narcotics
Narcotics are generally used in medicine to reduce moderate to severe pain. Narcotics have no
ergogenic or performance enhancing qualities and athletes often use narcotics to mask pain caused
by musculoskeletal injury, allowing them to compete and it is for this reason that they are listed as
banned substances in competition but are permitted when out of competition. Common examples of
narcotics include; opium, morphine, codeine and heroin.
Cannabinoids
Cannabinoids are a compound contained in the Marijuana plant and its products. The cannabinoid
compound contains a substance called THC which has psychoactive properties. Due to the fast
absorption rate of THC by the lungs, cannabinoids have a rapid onset, with the effect on the central
nervous system being obvious within 20 minutes with duration lasting 4-6 hours. Cannabinoids can be
detected in the urine of an occasional user for up to a week following use, and much longer for regular
users. Cannabinoids have no positive effects on performance and in fact can be detrimental.
Prolonged use can cause 'a motivational' syndrome causing the user to lose focus and determination
to succeed. It is their analgesic (pain relief) properties which is why cannabinoids prohibited in
competition.
Glucocorticoids
Glucocorticoids are a group of steroid compounds that are both naturally occurring and synthetically
manufactured. They act as an anti-inflammatory and as agents that suppress the immune system. Also
known as corticosteroids, these agents generally act to suppress the body's ability to cause
inflammation both upon the surface of the skin as well as in that occurring in muscles and joints.
Glucocorticoids have been synthesized for use as anti-inflammatory medications for many years. The
best known of the synthetics are prednisone and cortisone.
Supplementation
Most supplements are safe for athletes although there are still many products available on the market
which either may contain or have been contaminated with a banned substance. To ensure a
supplement is safe to take athletes should only consume supplements that have gone through a
testing procedure to ensure that they are free from contamination. Informed-Sport is a certification
programme for sports supplements, raw materials, and manufacturing facilities, which assure athletes
that products carrying the Informed-Sport mark have been regularly tested for substances considered
prohibited in sport. The Informed-Sport certification programme was established by one of the world's
leading sports doping control laboratories, HFL Sport Science, which is now known as LGC. By ensuring
that an athlete only consumes supplements that have been LGC tested will minimise their risk of
accidently consuming a prohibited substance.