Methods used to research long-term effects of drug use in sport

The first 200 words of this essay...

Discovering Society - Formative assignment

Anonymous Code: Z0504002

Describe and evaluate the methods that have been used to research the long-term effects of performance enhancing drugs in sport

In this essay I will look not only at the methods that have been used to research performance enhancing drugs, but firstly at the main reason for athletes feeling the 'need' to take these drugs. Secondly, I would like to give a brief overview of the drugs that have been banned by the world anti doping agency.

In my opinion the main reason for athletes taking such measures is all to do with the commercialisation of sport, and the extreme pressures put on athletes to perform and win; hence the term 'win at all costs' Vince Lombardi famously quotes 'Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all the time. Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing'. It is this ethic combined with commercialisation that makes the pressure so great, and therefore performers use drugs. Coakley (1994) refers to commercialization in sport as