Doping can be strictly defined as the consumption of any substance (whether food or drugs) to improve

one’s performance. UNESCO define doping as 'Doping' refers to an athlete's use of prohibited drugs or
methods to improve training and sporting results. Steroids are the drugs that often come to mind when
we talk about doping, but doping also includes an athlete's use of other forbidden drugs (such as
stimulants, hormones, diuretics, narcotics and marijuana), use of forbidden methods (such as blood
transfusions or gene doping), and even the refusal to take a drug test or an attempt to tamper with
doping controls.

It can be correlated in a many ways. For example drinking coffee in order to stay awake, athletes take
steroids in order to become stronger.

Competition in the sports industry have now increased more than ever, and athletes are always under
constant burden to outshine. Availing performance enhancing drugs boost the performance level of an
athlete and it increases a chance of winning a gold medal.

As Jose Canseco said, “I don’t recommend steroids for everyone…but for certain individuals, I truly
believe, because I’ve experimented with it for so many years, that it can make an average athlete a super
athlete. It can make a super athlete incredible.”1

Some of the compounding factors that encourage the use of these drugs are:

Media coverage: media tend to give extensive coverage to doping scandals within sport.

Peer Pressure: athletes may be offered performance – enhancing drugs by their fellow competitors or
team members.

Support team pressure: additional pressure can be made by those who support athletes such as
coaches, healthcare professions, family member in order to have a better performance of the athletes

Lack of understanding: Athletes can get wrong information or they may be get confuse because of lack
of understanding of medical products and misleading information which are apparently safe
supplements but in reality they are not accurate or correct information is not given for that. Etc

The drugs used in doping shows many unfavorable and injurious effects mentally and physically. In a
nutshell these are effective in improving one’s performance but in distant future they can even go to the
extent of death.

The consequences of doping:-

The residue of doping could turn into termination of sporting career. It can damage your reputation and
as a result the future prospects of sports can be hampered. The sanctions for an anti- doping violation
can include:-

1
https://www.sportskeeda.com/athletics/why-do-athletes-take-drugs
An injection from all sports (competing, training or coaching) for up to four years or even for a lifetime if
repentant consumption is being taken.

Publication in newspaper and on other media coverage.

Financial penalties as a punishment

Disqualification of results of an event, along with relinquishment of medals.

Global anti-doping law

There are numerous countries that have enacted law concerning with some aspects of anti-doping rule
violations but only some countries have a provision for harsh punishment for doping as an offence.

After extensive research of the author and co-author no country had passed down the provisions so far
to send an athlete to jail for using performance enhancing drugs though Germany , Austria , Europe
France, Spain criminalizes doping in sports.

Though Germany has very recently i.e. 2016 had made a law that could put an athelete to jail if they are
found guilty for taking performance enhancing drugs, but till now no athele has faced jail. Legal experts
have made their statements that the day the first athelete will be sent to jail that day itself German law
would be called for the country’s constitutional court.

Ethiopia which has overlooked anti – doping measures for so many years has however introduced anti –
doping act.

German Birahun, a Marathoner was send to jail for the intake of performance enhancing drugs for the
consumption of meldonuim , Maria Sharapova was also tested positive for the consumption of
meldonium and she was debarred for 15 month.

Haile Geurselassie , a long distance runner , he had won four world championship titles in the event,
four times consecutive the winner of Berlin Marathon and a three straight wins at the Dubai Marathon
and also the president of the Ethiopia athletics federation had endorsed the jail term for the offenders.

“I cannot say this is harsh. After this, we will not have regular doping What we are trying to do regarding
doping is we have to have zero tolerance no matter what.”, Gebrselassie

Gebrselassie admit that those who aid doping should also be punished and should be send to jail.

“It is not only the athletes who should go to jail. If someone gives the doping (material), if someone is
selling, if someone is bringing from one (place) to another, that is another key point,” he said.

Several European countries including Hungry , Denmark , Iceland, Norway Romania , Spain , Portugal
France Serbia , Greece , Iceland, Sweden have made clear – cut legislation that criminalizes trafficking in
the Wada code’s banned substances.
New Zealand , Tanisia , Mexico , China , Congo , Nicarogua also have laws prohibiting trafficking in Wada
banned drugs. Australia has also made provision to provide a jail term for drug offenders. It has mainly
made stringent punishment for trafficking in steroids. It has also made laws and made illegal to import
drugs that may require a therapeutic use exemptions for an athlete to use.

The world Anti- Doping WADA

The goal of the world anti doping agency wada is to promote a clean sporting environment. Wada is a
strong defender of ethical sports and guranatees athletes legal protection. Wada also aims to
harmonize anti doping work all over the world.

Wada was established in 1999, and its ead office is located in Montreal, Canada.

Governments have committed themselves to supporting WADA’s operations via the UNESCO
International Convention against Doping in Sport. Finland participates actively in the development of the
world Anti Doping Code and regional anti doping programs. Finland has two seats in Wada’s specialist
groups.2

National Anti- Doping Agency ( NADA)

The Nada is the national organization of India to promote, coordinate and monitor the doping control
programs of sports of all forms in line with world anti doping code in the country . It works under
Ministry of Youth Affairs and sports, GOI.3

Following are some of the substances and methods used for doping in sport:

Erythropoietin ( EPO)

By taking EPO, athletes’ intent is to increase the concentration of red blood cells.

CERA

Athletes also consume CERA in order to increase oxygen carrying capacity to boost strength.

Anabolic Steroids

Athletes who use anabolic steroids claims that by the intake of anabolic steroids they reduce body fat
and it also helps them in increasing muscle size and strength.

Blood doping

Blood doping is another way by which athletes try to have better performance sports event. Intake of
blood doping can be done in two ways:

2
https://www.gktoday.in/gk/wada-and-nada-institutional-framework-around-doping/
3
https://www.gktoday.in/gk/wada-and-nada-institutional-framework-around-doping/
Autologous blood doping: It is the transmission of one’s own blood, which has been stored, refrigerated
or frozen until required.

Homologues blood doping: It is the transmission of blood that has been taken from another human with
the same blood group.

Athletes also take insulin to enhance glucose uptake into the body. There is also proof that it is abused
by dopers in congruency with growth hormones or anabolic steroids to lift the muscle growth.