Ethical and socio-cultural issues

Question 1

Explain Anabolic Agents and their advantages and disadvantages

Answer 1

Artificially produced hormones that mimic testosterone (aka anabolic steroids)
ADVANTAGES:
- increased muscle mass
- increased rate of muscle growth
- increased recovery rate
- increased competitiveness
DISADVANTAGES:
increased risk of…
- acne
- heart disease
- mood swings
- hair loss

Question 2

Explain Beta Blockers and their advantages and disadvantages

Answer 2

Legally prescribed drug, prohibited for sport performers
ADVANTAGES:
- reduces effects of adrenaline (blood pressure, HR, muscle tension)
- Improves fine motor control and preciseness (accuracy)
- e.g. archery
DISADVANTAGES:
- Nausea
- Weakness
- Increased risk of heart problems

Question 3

Explain Diuretics and their advantages and disadvantages

Answer 3

Diuretic drugs remove fluid from the body by increasing the rate of urination
ADVANTAGES:
- Helps the performer lose weight quickly in sports that have weight categories like boxing and martial arts
- Also referred to as ‘masking agents’ because they can help reduce the concentration of other prohibited substances in the performer’s urine by excreting it faster
DISADVANTAGES:
Increased risk of…
- Dehydration
- Kidney Failure
- Heart failure
- Dizziness/headaches

Question 4

Explain Stimulants and their advantages and disadvantages

Answer 4

Stimulants affect the central nervous system, increasing mental and physical alertness and reducing fatigue (advantages)
DISADVANTAGES:
- Increased risk of stroke
- Increased risk of headaches
- Can be addictive (overdose can kill you)

Question 5

Explain Narcotic Analgesics and their advantages and disadvantages

Answer 5

Narcotic analgesics reduces the feeling of pain. They can mask the pain caused by overtraining, allowing performers to gain unfair advantages by being able to train harder than their competitors
- e.g. morphine (very strong pain killer)
DISADVANTAGES:
- Increased risk of constipation
- Can be addictive
- Further injury can be caused due to increased pain threshold

Question 6

Explain how Peptide hormones work

Answer 6

Peptide hormones stimulate the production of naturally occurring hormones e.g. Erythropoietin (EPO)
EPO is produced naturally by the kidneys to regulate the production of red blood cells, therefore, increasing the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood. This improves a performer’s aerobic capacity so they can perform for longer before fatigue sets in and their recovery time is shorter

Question 7

What are the side-effects of peptide hormones?

Answer 7

• Increased risk of stroke/heart attack
• Blood becomes more viscous

Question 8

Explain how Blood Doping works

Answer 8

Blood doping involves removing a performer’s blood a few weeks before competition, freezing it and then re-injecting it just prior to competition.
This increases the number of red blood cells in the bloodstream, increasing the blood’s oxygen-carrying capacity
This improves a performer’s aerobic capacity, meaning that they can perform for longer before fatigue sets in and their recovery time is also shorter.
e.g. marathon runners/cross country skiers

Question 9

What are the side effects of Blood Doping?

Answer 9

Increased risk of…
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Infection
- Embolism (blood vessel blocks)
- 2 year ban

Question 10

What are performance enhancing drugs?

Answer 10

Chemical substances that alter the biomechanical balance in the body leading to an unfair advantage when competing

Question 11

What are the advantages and disadvantages of taking performance enhancing drugs?

Answer 11

ADVANTAGES:
- Increased chance of success
- Can lead to fame and fortune
- ‘levels the playing field’ if it is perceived that everyone is taking them
DISADVANTAGES:
- You reputation and sport’s reputation damaged
- Stripped of medals
- Loss of sponsorships
- Banned from competing

Question 12

Which performance enhancing drugs are classified as ‘prohibited substances’

Answer 12

• Anabolic agents
• Narcotic analgesics
• Diuretics
• Stimulants
• Peptide hormones

Question 13

Etiquette

Answer 13

Unwritten rule in an activity, not enforceable but it is observed by showing all ethical conduct
e.g. shaking hands at the end of a football match

Question 14

Sportsmanship

Answer 14

Conforming with the rules, spirit and etiquette of the sport
e.g. helping a rival player back up when injured, player calls the ball ‘in’ in tennis when it was called out by the line judge giving point to opponent

Question 15

Gamesmanship

Answer 15

Attempting to gain an advantage by stretching the rules to the limit
e.g. time wasting in hockey, falling over after a tackle in football to gain a penalty

Question 16

Contract to compete

Answer 16

An unwritten agreement between opponents to abide to the unwritten and written rules of the sport