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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

Doping in Sports: From the Past to the Future

Abstract:

Doping is defined by Webster's dictionary as “the use of a substance (such as an anabolic

steroid or erythropoietin) or technique (such as blood doping) to illegally improve athletic

performance.” Doping originated in 776 B.C. in Greece when they believed that hallucinogenic

mushrooms and wine would boost their athletic performance. Throughout history, more

sophisticated and effective methods were found to be able to increase an athlete's natural

physical abilities. With modern-day science, we have developed many ways to enhance human

performance. While there are many kinds of doping, the most effective modern types of doping

are Anabolic steroids and blood doping, depending on an athlete's needs. Anabolic steroids

increase the amount of testosterone in the body. While blood doping makes it so that you can

process oxygen in your body more effectively. The human genome has now been mapped and

with CRISPR/ CAS-9, we can change any genetic attribute about a person including their

physical talents. As more time passes, human records are just getting better and higher. Athletes

are getting faster, stronger, and bigger. Much of this increase and improved performance can be

attributed to diet and evolution, but the question is how much can also be attributed to doping? It

is clear that records will continue to be broken. It isn’t unlikely a parent will be able to choose

every single attribute about their child, resulting in the rise of “super athletes”. These athletes

will be bigger, faster, and stronger than any athlete on earth today. They will push the physical

limitations of what a human can do. They will break every record we know. Depending on your

values and priorities in sports, it may either be an exciting change, or ruin sports completely.
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

Doping is defined by Webster's dictionary as “the use of a substance (such as an anabolic

steroid or erythropoietin) or technique (such as blood doping) to illegally improve athletic

performance.” Doping originated in 776 B.C. in Greece when they believed that hallucinogenic

mushrooms and wine would boost their athletic performance. Throughout history, more

sophisticated and effective methods were found to be able to increase an athlete's natural

physical abilities. With modern-day science, we have devolved many ways to enhance human

performance. The human genome has now been mapped, and with CRISPR/ CAS-9, we can

change any genetic attribute about a person, including their physical talents. As more time

passes, human records are just getting better and higher. Athletes are getting faster, stronger,

bigger. A lot of this increase can be attributed to diet and evolution, but the question is how

much can also be attributed to doping. What future effects will genetic doping have on sports as

we know it?

Thesis Statement

Historically humans' sports performance has consistently increased due to many factors.

One factor often overlooked is doping. The use of modern anabolic steroids has seen bigger

jumps, farther throws, and faster times more and more common. With the emergence of genetic

doping, humans will be able to change their children's, and even their own genetics one day. One

day we will see a 6’6 250lb female that is faster than any man on earth today.
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

What is doping?

Doping, in a scientific context, is the use of drugs or other substances to illegally improve

athletic performance. This can involve the consumption of substances that increase the body's

production of testosterone, enhance oxygen uptake, or improve muscle strength and endurance.

In an actual context, doping refers to the unethical practice of using these substances to gain an

unfair advantage over other athletes. It is considered a violation of the rules and principles of fair

play in sports and can have severe health consequences for those who engage in it.

There are many different types of doping, each of which has its unique characteristics and

effects. Here is a detailed look at some of the most common types of doping:

 Anabolic steroids: Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that are designed to mimic

the effects of the male hormone testosterone. They are commonly used by athletes to

increase muscle mass and strength, as well as to improve endurance and recovery time.

Examples of anabolic steroids include testosterone, nandrolone, and stanozolol.

 Blood doping: Blood doping involves increasing the number of red blood cells in the

body to improve oxygen uptake and enhance athletic performance. This can be done

through the use of drugs that stimulate the production of red blood cells, such as

erythropoietin (EPO), or by transfusing blood from another person. Blood doping is often

used by endurance athletes, such as runners and cyclists, to improve their performance.

 Stimulants: Stimulants are drugs that increase attention, alertness, and energy. They are

commonly used by athletes to improve focus and concentration, as well as to reduce

fatigue. Examples of stimulants include caffeine, amphetamines, and ephedrine.

 Diuretics: Diuretics are drugs that increase the amount of urine produced by the body.

They are sometimes used by athletes to lose weight quickly or to mask the presence of

other performance-enhancing drugs in the body. Examples of diuretics include

furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide.

 Gene doping: Gene doping is the use of gene therapy to enhance athletic performance.

This involves the insertion of genes into an individual's cells to alter their genetic makeup

and improve their physical abilities. While gene doping is not yet widely used, it has the

potential to become a significant problem in the future

 Peptide hormones and analogs: Peptide hormones are substances that are produced by the

body and are involved in many physiological processes. They are sometimes used by

athletes to increase muscle mass and strength or to improve recovery time. Examples of

peptide hormones and analogs include growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor

(IGF-1).

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is an international organization that works to

promote clean sports and prevent the use of performance-enhancing drugs. WADA develops and

enforces the World Anti-Doping Code, which sets out the rules and standards for doping in

sports. The Code includes a list of substances and methods that are prohibited in sports, known

as the Prohibited List. This list is updated every year to reflect the latest scientific and medical

knowledge about performance-enhancing substances.

Doping, the use of substances or techniques to illegally improve athletic performance, has a

long and storied history. The practice can be traced back to 776 B.C. in Ancient Greece, where
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

athletes believed that consuming hallucinogenic mushrooms and wine would boost their

performance. Over time, more sophisticated and effective methods for enhancing physical

abilities have been developed. Here is a brief timeline of the history of doping:

 776 B.C.: The use of performance-enhancing drugs can be traced back to Ancient Greece,

where athletes consumed hallucinogenic mushrooms and wine to boost their

performance.

 Late 19th/early 20th century: Athletes began to use various substances, such as

strychnine and caffeine, to enhance their endurance and strength. These drugs were

readily available and were commonly used by athletes.

 The 1950s-1960s: The use of anabolic steroids, which increase the production of

testosterone in the body, became more widespread. These drugs were initially developed

for medical purposes but were soon being used by athletes to improve their performance.

 In the 1980s: Blood doping, which involves increasing the number of red blood cells in

the body to improve oxygen uptake, became a common method of doping among

endurance athletes.

 The 1990s: The use of performance-enhancing drugs became a major issue in

professional sports, with high-profile athletes being caught and punished for their use.

 The 2000s: The emergence of new technologies, such as the mapping of the human

genome and CRISPR/CAS-9 gene editing, has made it possible to alter an individual's

genetic makeup, including their physical talents.

In the 1950s, steroids were a relatively new and unknown substance. As such, there was a lot

of speculation about how they would affect sports. Some people believed that steroids would

revolutionize athletic performance, allowing athletes to train harder and recover faster than ever

before. Others were more skeptical, suggesting that steroids could be dangerous and potentially

harmful to athletes.

One of the reasons that steroids were so widely speculated about in the 1950s was that they

had only recently been discovered. In the 1930s, researchers at the University of Berlin isolated

the hormone testosterone and began studying its effects on the body. Testosterone is a naturally

occurring hormone that plays a key role in the development of male sexual characteristics, such

as muscle mass and strength. In the 1950s, scientists began to synthesize testosterone and other

hormones in the lab, creating what would become known as anabolic steroids.

At first, steroids were primarily used for medical purposes. They were given to patients to

help them build muscle mass and strength and to treat a variety of conditions, including

hormonal imbalances and muscle-wasting diseases. However, it didn't take long for athletes to

realize the potential benefits of steroids. By the 1950s, many professional athletes were using

steroids to improve their performance.

The speculation around steroids and sports in the 1950s was fueled by several high-profile

cases. In 1954, for example, weightlifter John Grimek won the Mr. America title after using

steroids. This sparked a debate about whether steroids should be allowed in sports, and whether

they gave athletes an unfair advantage. In addition, several other athletes, including sprinter
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

Charlie Jenkins and football player Bill Tessendorf, were accused of using steroids in the 1950s.

This further fueled the controversy around the use of steroids in sports.

While some people saw steroids as a way to enhance athletic performance, others were more

skeptical. Critics pointed out that steroids could have serious side effects, including liver

damage, high blood pressure, and increased aggression. There were also concerns that steroid use

could lead to addiction, and that athletes who used them were putting their long-term health at

risk.

Despite these concerns, many athletes continued to use steroids in the 1950s. This led to a

growing belief that steroids were becoming a problem in sports and that something needed to be

done to address the issue. In the late 1950s, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned

the use of steroids in sports, and many other organizations followed suit. However, studies and

surveys have shown that the use of PEDs is widespread in many sports, particularly in sports

where physical strength and size are important factors.

One study conducted by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) found that the use of

PEDs is particularly prevalent in sports such as weightlifting, cycling, and athletics. In

weightlifting, an estimated 20-30% of athletes admitted to using PEDs, while in cycling, the

figure was closer to 10-15%. In athletics, the use of PEDs was estimated to be as high as 30-35%

(Henning et al.).

Another study, conducted by the University of Michigan, found that the use of PEDs is also

widespread in professional football, with an estimated 10-15% of players admitting to using

them (Dandoy et al.). In baseball, the use of PEDs is also believed to be common, with several

high-profile players, such as Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez, having been implicated in doping

scandals Overall, while it is difficult to determine exactly what percentage of professional

athletes use PEDs, the use of these drugs is widespread in many sports (see table 1).

Table 1.

Source: Reardon, Claudia L, and Shane Creado. “Drug abuse in athletes.” Substance abuse and

rehabilitation vol. 5 95-105. 14 Aug. 2014, doi:10.2147/SAR.S53784

Gene doping is the use of technology to enhance the performance of athletes. It involves

the transfer of genetic material into an individual's cells to increase their athletic abilities. This is

different from traditional forms of doping, which rely on the use of drugs or other substances to

improve performance. One of the technologies that have been used for gene doping is CRISPR

(Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats). CRISPR is a gene-editing tool that

allows scientists to make precise changes to an organism's DNA. This technology has been used

to treat a variety of diseases, including sickle cell anemia and muscular dystrophy.

However, there are concerns that CRISPR could also be used for gene doping. This is

because it allows scientists to modify an individual's genes to increase muscle strength or

endurance. This could give athletes an unfair advantage over their competitors, leading to a

situation where only those who have access to gene doping technology can compete at the

highest level.

In addition to concerns about fairness, there are also concerns about the safety of gene

doping. The long-term effects of gene editing are not yet well understood, and there is a risk that

athletes who undergo gene doping could suffer from unforeseen health problems. There is also

the risk that the use of gene doping could lead to the creation of "designer babies," with parents

choosing to give their children enhanced athletic abilities.

Despite these concerns, the use of gene doping is currently not regulated by international

sports organizations. This means that athletes who use gene doping may not be caught and
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

punished for their actions. This lack of regulation could lead to a situation where the use of gene

doping becomes widespread, leading to a situation where athletes who do not use gene doping

are at a disadvantage.

One of the main concerns among scientists is the impact of gene doping on the fairness of

sports. By allowing athletes to enhance their physical abilities through the use of technology,

gene doping could create an uneven playing field. Only athletes who have access to gene doping

technology would be able to compete at the highest level, giving them a significant advantage

over their competitors. This could lead to a situation where the use of gene doping becomes

widespread, and athletes who do not use it are at a disadvantage.

In addition to its impact on fairness, gene doping could also have negative effects on the

health of athletes. The long-term effects of gene editing are not yet well understood, and there is

a risk that athletes who undergo gene doping could suffer from unforeseen health problems. This

could lead to a situation where athletes are putting their health at risk to gain an advantage in

competition.

Another concern among scientists is the potential for the creation of "designer babies."

As gene doping technology becomes more advanced, parents may choose to give their children

enhanced athletic abilities. This could lead to a situation where only a select group of individuals

can compete at the highest level, and the opportunities for athletes from lower socio-economic

backgrounds are limited.

The use of gene doping could also have negative effects on the integrity of sports. By

giving athletes an unfair advantage, gene doping could undermine the competitive nature of

sports. It could also lead to a situation where the use of gene doping becomes widespread, and

athletes who do not use it are at a disadvantage. This could ultimately lead to a loss of interest in

sports among the public.

While the use of doping in sports is generally viewed as negative, it could also be argued

that it has some positive effects. For example, the use of performance-enhancing drugs or other

substances can play sports more exciting to watch. When athletes can perform at their physical

best, it can make for a more thrilling and entertaining viewing experience. This could lead to

increased interest in sports among the public, and potentially even increased revenues for sports

leagues and organizations. However, it is important to balance the potential entertainment value

of doping with the negative effects it can have on the fairness and integrity of sports.

Doping has been prevalent in sports for thousands of years. Humans have always tried to

find a way to get a leg up on their opponents. Many athletes will do whatever it takes to be the

best. Due to the progression of science, many extremely effective steroids have been developed.

One of the side effects of these highly effective doping agents being used more and more widely,

sports achievements increased. Athletes became faster, stronger, bigger. Times got faster, balls

were thrown farther, and hit harder. Records were shattered. A new wave of doping has surfaced,

with gene doping, athletes can now change their genetics. One day, if a parent wants their kid to

be 6’10, but run a 9.5 second 100 meters, oh and have clue eyes and blonde hair, they will be

able to decide that. With gene doping becoming more prevalent, the whole state of sports will
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

change. There will be no way to tell if a child's parents picked and chose their attributes or not.

But do we fault the athletes for a decision that their parents made? Gene doping will change

sports as we know it, to a fan or viewer seeing faster times, or longer home runs, is exciting. But

to the athletes that were not fortunate enough to have their genes perfectly chosen, it is a

disadvantage from birth. Sports will change, depending on how each person gets out of sports,

and what their values are, it may be the best thing ever, but for some sports will be ruined.
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Collis Bousliman
Professor Ruben Miranda-Juarez
English 1120-027
December 8, 2022

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