How Doping Testing Procedure Works

The list of banned substances is never ending and if you happen to be an athlete, you need to be well versed with at least a few of them. If we are to learn more about this term, then doping is an activity which is used to describe the various banned substances which are administered by performing athletes to increase their overall athletic performance. These prohibited and unethical acts are often termed as illegal and can force an athlete to spend the rest of his/her playing days out of the competitive field.

The Early Days

Doping has been prevalent since the early sixties and has picked speed ever since. It all started when long distance swimmers started experimenting with various mild stimulants to enhance their overall stamina and performance. Likewise, those involved in sports such as cycling tried to stimulate their aching and tired muscles by administering a mixture of caffeine, ether and sugar. Later on, they started the use of barbiturates, an illegal drug which enabled these athletes to delay the overall process of fatigue and sharpen their overall reflex actions. Thereafter, the American baseball teams started administering greenies to enhance their strength and stamina. Finally, after a rampant usage of these substances, it was found that they needed to be controlled. This led to the banning of these substances.

The Early Days Testing

The talk of using dope started as early as the early nineteenth century. In the year 1928, it was found that the Olympic Committee clearly stated its desire to hold games which were free from any drug abuse. In those days, there was no such policy through which athletes could be penalized on being found guilty of drug abuse. The reason for such a leniency was the simple fact that there was no procedure through which the judges could check whether an athlete was indeed administering a banned substance or not. In those days, the Olympic Committee went in accordance to the word of mouth and trusted athletes on the basis of their statement. If the athlete started that he/she had not administered a performance enhancing drug, the statement was taken as the truth and thus adhered to in all levels.

The Later Testing Days

As time progressed, it was found that the need to formulate a plan through which people could ascertain whether an athlete was actually administering a performance related drug or not. It was felt mandatory before the onset of any major sporting event. It was in the year 1970, various governing bodies such as the International Olympic Committee and the International Athletics Amateur Federation decided to regularize the process through a series of sample tests. The urine and blood samples thus collected were then distributed to various certified laboratories. If the results turned out to be positive, action was taken against the guilty athlete and vice versa.

The Punishment

The level of punishment ranges from a warning, a caution, a temporary ban as well as a permanent ban from competing in any competitive sport. The reason behind these bans was the rampant use of banned substances by athletes which defeated the very purpose of a free and fair games.