Although most athletes would never consider taking a sports drug to compete for success, they may still fail a drug test because they do not actively avoid taking sports drugs, and face violations of sports drug regulations, and Punishment ensues. This article identifies possible causes of misuse of sports doping drugs and ways to avoid this problem.
What is the misuse of sports drugs? What is the cause?
Misuse of sports drugs refers to athletes who inadvertently ingest sports drugs, resulting in failure in drug testing. The following situations may lead to misuse of sports banned substances:
Use medicine to treat injuries
If the doctor who prescribes drugs for athletes does not know that the patient is an athlete and cannot take sports-banned drugs, the possibility of misuse of sports-banned drugs will increase. Some common over-the-counter medicines, such as medicines for treating coughs and colds, often contain sports-inhibiting drugs. In addition to oral drugs such as pills and potions, topical drugs such as ointments and sprays may also lead to the misuse of sports-inhibiting drugs. Some Chinese herbal medicines, especially those with unknown chemical composition, may also contain sports banned substances.
βTake supplements
Most supplements are not regulated like drugs. Athletes who take supplements face the risk of not discovering that the product contains a banned sports drug because the product may be contaminated or the labeling is not clear and detailed.
Inhalation of second-hand tobacco
βFor example, second-hand marijuana
Eating certain foods
Foods that may cause you to fail a drug test if ingested include: cakes/breads containing poppy seeds, food that has been fed containing steroidsi or clenbuterol (also known as clenbuterol) feed poultry, pig meat and beef, etc.
γWhat are the consequences of misuse of banned drugs?
According to the world's anti-drug laws, "ignorance" is not a defense - athletes are responsible for checking whether every drug and substance they take is safe.
Athletes who misuse banned sports drugs may still face punishment. Athletes need to go through a long process and provide evidence to prove that they have unintentionally taken sports banned substances before they can reduce the relevant penalties.
If a drug test is conducted during an event, even if an athlete successfully proves that he or she has just misused a sports drug, his or her competition results will be automatically cancelled.
Furthermore, there will always be a record of failed drug testing in the athlete's file; if the athlete violates any sports anti-drug regulations in the future, the punishment will be increased.
How can athletes avoid misuse of sports drugs?
Athletes should always remain vigilant and try to take all precautions to protect themselves from the misuse of sports banned substances. Here are some helpful tips:
Whenever I see the doctor...
- Tell your doctor that you are an athlete and subject to drug testing; and
-Show your doctor this year's prohibited list and tell him that you cannot be prescribed the prohibited substances and methods on the list.
Before taking any medicine...
-Consult a doctor, pharmacist, or use the Sports Drug Database (www.druginsport.hk) to check the banned status of drugs; and
-Search for different products under the same brand separately, because the ingredients of each product may be different; and
-When drugs are purchased from outside Hong Kong, you should check whether each ingredient of the drug is prohibited.
Use supplements with caution...
-Consult your team doctor or sports nutritionist on how to chooseChoose supplements; and
-Purchase supplements from reputable suppliers; and
- Be aware of the potential risks of herbal substances.
Beware of food contamination...
-Avoid eating cow and pig intestines (such as liver, lungs and kidneys) and other foods that are more likely to accumulate steroids or clenbuterol; and
β-Buy meat and food from reputable stores or restaurants.
Never use prohibited substances without approval...
-When there is no applicable alternative medicine and you need to use a prohibited substance for therapeutic purposes, you must first obtain a therapeutic use exemption approval.
For safety reasons...
- If you have no way of knowing whether a substance or drug is banned, never assume it is safe to take.