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Sports
Soaring paychecks for top athletes and pharmacological advances have conspired to increase the prevalence of performance enhancing drugs in professional and Olympic sports in recent years. At the same time, an influx of money into college athletics has helped deepen pervasive corruption in this area. Individual athletes face tough ethical choices about how to get ahead amid systematic cheating and gross pay inequities among athletes -- with cheaters often getting the biggest rewards.
Key Drugs in Sports
Professional athletics has increasingly become a pharmacological testing ground, as athletes seek an edge over each other and try to keep one step ahead of doping tests. Several new drugs have come onto the market in recent years that altered the very face of sports.
EPO: Erythropoietin, or EPO, is an artificial hormone that allows the blood to carry more oxygen, thus boosting endurance. It is favored by endurance athletes and has saturated such sports as professional cycling and cross-country skiing.
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Steroids: Anabolic steroids are man-made substances that mimics the effects of testosterone and help athletes build or maintain muscle mass. These drugs can provide an advantages in sports such as football, baseball, swimming, weight lifting, and track & field.
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THG: A designer steroid that was recently discovered by a U.S. scientist, THG was until recently undetectable by tests. Now, a number of Olympic and professional athletes stand accused of using the drug.
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Modafinil: Modafinil is a psychostimulant similar to amphetamines but without some its side effects, such as jitteriness. It has recently become favored by some athletes and turned up in a number of drug tests conducted on U.S. Olympic athletes.
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U.S. athletes tested positive for Modafinil at 2003 competitions |
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Track and field governing body to go after coaches in Modafinil doping |
Human Growth Hormone: HGH is another drug that is used increasingly by athletes to enhance their performance. It helps to strengthen joints, build muscles, and speed the repair of tissues. It can also expand the size of athletes' heads and feet. The drug is difficult to detect through tests.
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The Fight Against Drugs in Sports
Efforts to reducing drug use in sports have been gaining momentum and are increasingly global in scope and involve advanced scientific research efforts to develop new drug tests. Key players in the field include: