PREVALENCE OF DOPING AMONG POLISH DISABLED ATHLETES
Journal Title: Medycyna Sportowa - Year 2007, Vol 23, Issue 4
Abstract
[b]Background.[/b] Subjects with mild disability or mentally retarded are more and more frequently engaged in competitive sport. However, it seems, that these athletes are less oriented to competition and prize winning, than to the wish to improve their physical functionality, to overcome social isolation and to increase their self-esteem. Despite different motivation and expectations in disabled and healthy competitors, both groups have to obey the same athletic rules, for instance obligatory anti-doping tests. This paper reported results of 95 on-competition anti-doping controls carried out among disabled athletes.[b]Material and methods.[/b] The investigated athletes represented Polish Disabled Association (n = 51), Polish Shooting Association (n = 26), Polish Athletic Association (n = 14), and Polish Weightlifting Association (n = 4).[b]Results. [/b]There cases of positive urine samples were revealed in the whole group which accounted for 3.16% of all samples. One athlete practising pistol shooting was revealed to be under action of hydrochlorothiazide and propranolol. Two others, one practising pistol shooting, and one practising weightlifting, exhibited abnormal urinary steroidal profiles indicating administration of exogenous steroids.[b]Conclusions. [/b]The size of investigated population was too small to compare relative frequencies of doping offences among disabled (3.16%) and healthy (2.70%) athletes. Since interest of society focuses mainly on top-ranged healthy athletes and on high rank competition, disabled athletes and their problems with doping remain underestimated. In spite of that, numerous public comments regarding doping offences revealed during the Sydney Paralympic Games (2000), (n = 11) and the Athens Paralympic Games (2004), (n = 8) may suggest, that doping is considered as a blameworthy behavior among disabled athletes in similar extent as among the rest of sportsmen. Summarizing, prevalence of doping among disabled athletes should provoke anti-doping strategies based on more frequent anti-doping controls, educational interventions and informing about harmful effects of doping agents for human health.
Authors and Affiliations
Dorota Michalak, Danuta Stańczyk, Zuzanna Szczepańska, Barbara Wójcikowska-Wójcik
Keywords
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