Major Sporting Events and the Fight Against Doping
This weekend is shaping up to be a thrilling one for sports enthusiasts around the world. The World Aquatics Championships in Singapore are entering their third weekend of intense competition, while the iconic Tour de France is set to conclude on Sunday, marking the end of one of cycling’s most prestigious events. In a fitting finale, the UEFA Women’s EURO 2025 final will take place on Sunday evening in Basel, Switzerland, with reigning world champions Spain facing off against European champions England.
Despite being held in different parts of the globe and featuring various sports, these major events share a common focus: the fight against doping. Athletes competing in these events are subject to rigorous anti-doping measures to ensure that the competitions remain free from banned substances listed by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
Over the past few episodes of Euronews Next’s podcast Euronews Tech Talks, the complexities of detecting doping and the reasons behind its use have been explored. But what exactly are the health risks associated with performance-enhancing drugs?
Key Points About Doping and Health Risks
Before diving into the specific health effects of doping substances, there are several important points to consider:
-
Not All Banned Substances Pose Immediate Health Risks
A substance does not need to directly harm an athlete’s health to be banned. According to WADA, a drug or practice must meet at least two of three criteria: it may enhance performance, pose a health risk, or violate the spirit of sport. This means some substances might be banned solely for their potential to disrupt fair play, even if they don’t immediately endanger health.
-
Doping Research Is Complex
Researching doping is challenging due to ethical constraints. Scientists cannot test high doses of banned substances on participants, as this could cause serious harm. For example, Francesco Botrè, Director of the WADA-accredited anti-doping laboratory in Rome, has emphasized that ethical guidelines limit the scope of experiments. -
Doping Research Is Still Emerging
As noted by Dominic Sagoe, Professor of Psychology at the University of Bergen, research on doping is relatively new, and many of the substances used by athletes are also novel. This makes it difficult to fully understand their long-term effects. -
Health Effects Are Hard to Pinpoint
Establishing a clear cause-and-effect relationship between doping and health issues is complicated. Factors such as genetics, environment, and individual physiology all play a role, making it hard to isolate the exact impact of a particular drug. -
Multiple Substances Make It Difficult to Track Effects
Many athletes use more than one banned substance, which complicates efforts to determine the specific health consequences of each.
Anabolic Steroids: Well-Documented Risks
Anabolic steroids are among the most well-known doping substances, particularly in sports like sprinting and weightlifting. They increase muscle mass and strength by accelerating protein synthesis. However, they come with significant health risks.
A notable case involves tennis player Jannik Sinner, who tested positive for steroids in March 2024 and was banned for three months. These drugs can lead to heart enlargement, thickening of the ventricular walls, and reduced ability to pump blood, potentially leading to heart failure over time.
Research has also found that anabolic steroids can affect brain structure, with users showing reduced volume in the cerebral cortex. While the implications of these changes are still under study, the risks are clear.
Erythropoietin (EPO) and Blood Doping: Endurance Enhancers with Serious Risks
Erythropoietin (EPO) stimulates red blood cell production, improving endurance. It is commonly used in long-distance events like cycling and marathons. Blood doping, which involves re-infusing blood after removal, achieves similar results.
Lance Armstrong, the American cyclist, famously admitted to using EPO and other banned substances. Both EPO and blood doping carry risks such as blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. However, the link between EPO and heart-related deaths in the 1980s remains debated, with later studies failing to confirm a direct connection.
Research on the long-term effects of EPO and blood doping is limited compared to other substances.
Beta Blockers: Less Known but Not Without Risk
Beta blockers are medications typically used for heart conditions. They are banned in precision sports like archery and shooting because they help reduce heart rate and anxiety. North Korean shooter Kim Jong-su tested positive for beta blockers during the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Common side effects include fatigue, dizziness, and erectile dysfunction. Long-term use has been linked to an increased risk of Parkinson’s disease, though research specifically on their use in sports is scarce.
These examples highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing performance enhancement with athlete safety. As the global sporting calendar continues to unfold, the fight against doping remains a critical issue for the integrity of competition.