The New Straits Times, September 21, 1998
Q: WHAT is meant by doping in sport?
A: THE term "dope" has its origins in Africa, according to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary.
It was a type of Cape brandy made from grape skins by a Kair tribe. It was used as a stimulation in ceremonial dances and known as "Dop" in Afrikaans, the language of the Boers.
From there it found its way into the English vocabulary. More than 100 years ago in 1889, dope also referred to a mixture of opium and other narcotics used with horses.
Today, doping can mean the administering or use of substances in any form alien to the body, of physiological substance in abnormal method with the exclusive aim or attaining an artificial and unfair increase of performance in competition.
Others would even regard the various psychological measures to increase performance in sport as a form of "doping".
Various definitions of modern doping, however, have been given from time to time.
Major sporting bodies like the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) have similar (though not identical) principles in defining it.
Nevertheless, many would agree that doping is forbidden. And that doping is the use by or distribution to an athlete of certain substances which could have the effect of improving artificially the athlete's physical and/or mental condition and so augmenting his athletic performance.
In short, doping is normally aimed at (at least) six aspects that a competitor needs to surpass the limits of human capability. They are improvement in speed, strength, endurance, mental attitude, coordination and the relief of pain.
A "dope" or 'doping substance" thus is any drug or drug preparation which is used with the intention of modifying advantageously such human capability to perform.
Some of the major examples include a number of classes, for instance, psychomotor stimulant drugs (e.g. amphetamine), sympathomimetic amines (e.g. ephedrine), central nervous system stimulants, narcotic analgesics (e.g. morphine), anabolic steroids (e.g. clostebol), beta-blockers (metoprolol) and the male hormone, testoterone.
The list of substances is generally kept under review and changes are made from time to time to cope with new innovations in the doping game.
Caffeine too at times can be considered as a dope depending on the levels used. Unlike other substances, a certain level, for examples, 15 micorgrams, or more per millilitre of caffeine found in a urine sample will render it as a doping substance.
Although some of the drugs are useful therapeutic agents when appropriately used, they would be categorised as dope when used for non-medical reasons particularly with respect to sporting events.
One other distinction is that doping often involves excessive doses which are more likely to produce toxic side-effects. The risks attached to taking the high doses used in doping are now soundly established and can be considered a form of poisoning.
In fact deaths have been reported associated with usage of stimulants, diuretics and anabolic steroids in sports. This is ironical in a way, because it runs contrary to the basic principle of sports, namely to promote health and healthy living.
The fact, however, remains that modern competitive sports are today crowned with so much glory and reward that they have become irresistible - emotionally, socially and economically. This has pushed some competitors to resort to improving their performance by any means available.
They are even prepared to sacrifice their health so long as their dream of achieving fame is met.
It is therefore our hope that the XVI Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur will be conducted in the true spirit of sportsmanship and that it will not be marred by any episode envolving doping substances.
