Doping in athletes

Use of substances to enhance performance seems to be as old as competitive sports itself. There is no consensus regarding a comprehensive and universally accepted definition of doping between sports audience and authorities and it has been defined through a variety of viewpoints. Drugs frequently misused in Iran include anabolic steroids, growth hormone and diuretics these may be associated with several and sometimes lethal consequences. Convincing data on the prevalence of drug misuse in elite sports are difficult to obtain because the athletes involved in the practice will normally deny their illegal activities. However, the existing evidence indicates that the use of performance-enhancing drugs in elite-level sport is now widespread. Unfortunately, doping is increasingly growing in our country. Some studies regarding the point and lifetime prevalence of steroid misuse in Iran have estimated them in the ranges of 10.7-59% and 26-100%, respectively. There are special dilemmas regarding doping in Iran: Athletes usually have no access to expert consultants and frequently get their information from coaches and traders who are not often very well informed. Also, the rate of drug misuse among amateur athletes is high. Furthermore, athletes commonly use drugs which are inappropriate for their sport discipline or may result in various side effects. Inaccessibility of standard supplements is another problem. Three main measures used to combat doping include in-competition drug testing, out-of- competition testing and education of target groups. It seems that education is one of the most efficient and cost effective anti-doping activities.