msa540 midterm

Doping In Professional and International Sports:

Doping In Professional and International Sports Victoria Berry Krista Carlson Michael Stangroom Edie Fletcher

Introduction:

Introduction The world of sport is supposed to be about fair competition with athletes performing at their best on a level playing field. The introduction of doping or the use of performance enhancing drugs has changed the landscape of sports. One of the biggest issues currently is how international and professional organizations are supposed to react and regulate against doping.

International Organizations:

International Organizations The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is in charge of regulating the rules for all athletes involved in the international competition like Olympic qualifying events or in the actual Olympic games. The history of banning drugs actually goes back to the 1960’s. The category of doping methods was introduced in the IOC list after the 1984 Olympic Games. The IOC’s biggest issue is in it’s organizational setup and its lack of complete control over athletes. * Countries have differing policies for their athletes and it makes it difficult to adequately regulate.

International Organizations Continued:

International Organizations Continued A major concern is the lack of trust on the part of the public in terms of the IOC being able to do it’s job properly. *The IOC needs to be open with it’s regulation of doping; by showing the public that they are taking the issue seriously.

International Organizations Continued:

International Organizations Continued The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was formed in 1999 after the countries made their point at an IOC conference by changing the way things were done. The WADA updated it’s World Anti-Doping Code in 2009 to include greater flexibility for athletes in proving their case; an increase in sanctions, incentives to come forward, updated prohibited drug list, new standards for labs and therapeutic use exemptions. There is also a new international standard for testing. There needs to be more collaboration between the WADA and the governmental organizations who are still fighting against drugs within their own borders Showing a united front to athletes will show just how serious the international community is taking the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports.

Track and Field:

Track and Field Doping has a negative effect on the international track scene. India’s golden runner, Oludamola , was stripped of her gold medal in the 100 meters due to testing positive for a banned performance enhancing drug. At that same competition, not just 24 hours later, Nigerian runner, Okon , a finalist in the 110 meters hurdles, also failed a doping test. One of track’s most sought after coach’s, Trevor Graham, was under fire after his star American athlete, Marion Jones, admitted (after lying to a grand jury) that she did in fact take performance enhancing drugs that were given to her during her competition years by her then coach, Trevor Graham.

Track and Field Continued:

Track and Field Continued Doping in track is becoming increasingly more popular amongst its athletes Doping has hurt track at the international level, but with the help from organizations like the United States Anti-Doping Agency, the use of drugs will diminish.

FIFA - Soccer:

FIFA - Soccer FIFA began drug testing in 1970 and continues to do so today. FIFA has many rules in place for in season drug testing. However, their out of season policy is not as tough because the players are rarely out of season The rules for testing put in place by FIFA have no room for cheating when all the steps are followed correctly and representatives from the teams being tested are present.

FIFA – Soccer Continued:

FIFA – Soccer Continued FIFA has over 250 specially trained physicians. These physicians will test their countries national team when they are playing a team from another country. As in any sport, it is important to educate players and coaches about performance enhancing drugs.

Weightlifting:

Weightlifting Organizations like the World Doping Agency, International Weightlifting Federation, British Weightlifting, UK Anti-Doping, and the United States Anti-Doping Agency, will not tolerate the use of banned substances and performance enhancing drugs and implement and enforce the following rules : probation stripping of medals banned from certain competitions banned from the sport entirely

Weightlifting Continued:

Weightlifting Continued Bulgaria, a team that was tarnished by a doping scandal when 3 of their athletes tested positive at the 2000 Olympics and were then forced to return their gold medals, was hit yet again before the 2008 Olympic Games and forced to withdraw its entire team from the Games when 11 of their athletes tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Greece, the host country for the 2004 Olympic Games, also withdrew their team from the 2008 Games when 11 of their athletes tested positive as well. When it comes to competitions like the Olympics, weightlifting is the second highest dope-ridden sport, behind cycling.

Professional Sports - Basketball:

Professional Sports - Basketball On September 28th, 1983, the NBA and the National Basketball Players Association adopted the first anti-drug policy in professional sports, and under this, all players are subject to random testing, it is also interesting to note that steroids were not added to the list of banned substances until 1999. Punishment for testing positive for the use of banned substances will vary. Clippers player, Darius Miles, and Orlando Magic star, Rashard Lewis, one time use of a performance enhancing drug, were suspended for 10 games and were fined by the NBA.

Professional Sports - Cycling:

Professional Sports - Cycling In 1985, it was not illegal to inject yourself with extra blood before the race to enhance the number of oxygen carrying red blood cells. This was known as blood doping. Riders feel that they have no choice but to take drugs in order to keep up with the rest of the field who they believe to be taking drugs as well. Drugs are undetectable and the payoff is so great that there is a constant arms race between drug takers and drug testers .

Cycling Continued:

Cycling Continued Former cyclist and author Michael Shermer uses the Nash Equilibrium as his solution to end doping in cycling. This theory states that, “if no player has anything to gain by unilaterally changing strategies, the game is said to be in Nash equilibrium.”

Professional Sports - Baseball:

Professional Sports - Baseball In 2002, Ken Caminiti, a former player, told Sports Illustrated that half of the players in professional baseball were using steroids. Commissioner Bud Selig agreed to a modest amount of testing as a compromise to the wishes of the players. One of the most well-known moments in baseball where steroids was used was during the home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa.

Baseball Continued:

Baseball Continued Selig appointed Senator George Mitchell to investigate which players were using steroids in baseball. The first player to admit to his steroid use was Jason Giambi of the New York Yankees. Since that time, many big name players have also admitted to steroid use such as, Alex Rodriguez.

Conclusion:

Conclusion Although several national and international organizations have been in place since the 1960’s; doping in professional and international sports is still very prevalent. Some sports such as cycling, weightlifting and track and field have experienced more incidences of failed drug tests than other sports in the past 50 years .

Conclusion Continued:

Conclusion Continued Until all the agencies involved in international sports, be it national or international associations, ban together and agree on the same set of testing standards, banned drugs and punishment for failed drug tests, then nothing will change and those athletes will continue to push the envelope. Here in America the four major professional sports associations; the NFL, NBA, MLB and MLS must join together with law makers to develop a strong testing policy and a strong punishment standard for those athletes that fail drug tests, especially the athletes that fail more than one test.

Resources:

Resources "British Weight Lifting Reiterates Stance against Doping | More than the Games." More than the Games | Sports News and Blogs from the UK Press . 8 Jan. 2011. Web. 18 Feb. 2011. <http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/weightlifting/0813571-british-weight-lifting- reiterates-stance-against-doping>. Conte, Victor. "Track Star Marion Jones Pleads Guilty to Doping Deception - CNN." Featured Articles from CNN . 05 Oct. 2007. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://articles.cnn.com/2007-10- 05/us/jones.doping_1_victor-conte-balco-case-high-profile-athletes?_s=PM:US>.

Resources Continued:

Resources Continued Denham, Bryan E, “Calling Out the Heavy Hitters: What the Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Professional Baseball Reveals About the Politics and Mass Communication of Sport.” International Journal of Sport Communication Mar2008, Vol. 1 Issue 1, p3 Dvorak J, Graf‐Baumann, T, D'Hooghe, M, Kirkendall, D, Taennler, H, and Saugy, M “FIFA's Approach to Doping in Football.” Br J Sports Med. 2006 July; 40 (Suppl 1). Feinburg, Doug. "WNBA Star Taurasi Fails Doping Test." Newsobserver . 25 Dec. 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2011. <http://www.newsobserver.com/2010/12/25/881122/wnba-star-fails-doping-test.htm>.

Resources Continued:

Resources Continued Hadstad, Dag Vidar, Andy Smith, and Ivan Waddington. “Establishment of World Ant-Doping Agency: A Study of the Management of Organizational Change and Unplanned Outcomes.” International Review for the Sociology of Sport . 2008, Vol 43 Issue 227. Mottram, David. “Banned Drugs in Sport: Does the International Olympic Committee (IOC) List Need Updating?” Sports Med . Jan 1999, Vol 27 Issue 1. "NBA/NBPA Anti-Drug Program Prohibited Substances - Hoopedia." Main Page - Hoopedia . Web. 18 Mar. 2011.

Resources Continued:

Resources Continued <http://hoopedia.nba.com/index.php?title=NBA/NBPA_Anti Drug_Program_Prohibited_Substances>. Pye, John. "India Celebrates Track Success; Doping Sours Games - ABC News." ABCNews.com: Breaking News, Politics, World News, Good Morning America, Exclusive Interviews - ABC News . 12 Oct. 2010. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. <http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory?id=11861156>. Ritter, Karl. "Doping Overshadows Weightlifting Again - USATODAY.com." News, Travel, Weather, Entertainment, Sports, Technology, U.S. & World - USATODAY.com . 12 July 2008. Web. 17 Feb. 2011. <http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2008-07-12- 3398911107_x.htm>.

Resources Continued:

Resources Continued Shermer, Michael, “The Doping Dilemma.” Scientific American; Apr2008, Vol. 298 Issue 4, p82-89. Synder, David, Ted Fay, and Daniel DePerno. “Interview with Richard Pound, Chair World Anti-Doping Agency, Former Vice-President International Olympic Committee.” International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship . July 2005 Willson, Duff. "Witness in Track Doping Case Is Ready to Name Big Names." The New York Times . 13 Apr. 2008. Web. 15 Feb. 2011. World Anti-Doping Agency. “Ensuring a Level Playing Field.” Play True . 2008 Issue 3.