Module 3: Contemporary issues

Current issues in sport

1. Introduction
2. Deviance
   1. Gamesmanship
3. Drugs and banned substances
   1. Reasons why people take drugs in sport
   2. Brief history of drugs in sport
   3. Banned substances activity
4. Globalisation in sport
5. Commercialisation
6. Health initiatives
7. Education and sport in schools
   1. PESSYP
   2. Other school sports initiatives
8. Child protection issues in sport
   1. Key principles that coaches must adhere to
   2. Types of abuse that can occur
9. Religion, culture and racism in sport
10. Gender
11. Current issues activity

Drugs and banned substances

In order to examine the effects of drugs in sport it is important to understand the different terms associated with the subject.

Performance enhancing drugs

Performance enhancing drugs are those banned substances which are taken to specifically enhance sporting performance.

Steroids

These are artificial male hormones that allow the performer to train harder and longer.

Blood doping

Blood doping involves removing blood after training at high altitude. The blood is stored and then reinfused shortly before competition in order to improve the aerobic capacity by increasing the number of erythrocytes. Blood doping is very difficult to detect.

Recreational drugs

These are illegal substances that are banned but are not beneficial in improving sports performance.

As the rewards for excellence in sport increase more risks are taken by athletes' to acquire the 'edge' to become the very best. This section will address the following areas:

• Why people take drugs
• Banned performance enhancers and their effects
• Brief history of drugs in sport.

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