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+--- Thread: Article 5 barely legal performance enhancers pushing Olympians to the edge (/thread-16309.html)
5 barely legal performance enhancers pushing Olympians to the edge - C C - Aug 7, 2024
https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/olympics-barely-legal-performance-enhancers
INTRO: In 1999, sports changed forever. On 10 November, WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, was established “to protect athletes, promote the values of clean sport and preserve the spirit of sport internationally”.
Its formation came off the back of numerous high-profile drug-fuelled incidents, including Ben Johnson’s 1988 steroid-injecting stride to 100m Olympic gold and the 1998 'Festina Affair', where a host of drugs was discovered in the boot of a team’s car at the Tour de France. With concern for athlete health – and the concern that viewers would turn off professional sport in their droves – WADA was formed.
Under the WADA Code, they issue an annual list of prohibited substances and methods, known as the ‘prohibited list’, which covers both in- and out-of-competition use. Prohibition comes if a substance or method satisfies two of the following three criteria:
- It has the potential to enhance sports performance
- It represents an actual or potential health risk to the athlete
- It violates the spirit of the sport
To that end, we dig deep into completely legal methods and substances that are commonly used by professional athletes but could be banned in future....(MORE - details)
COVERED:
1. Carbon monoxide rebreathing
2. Oxygen tents
3. High-tech tri suits
4. The ketone drink
5. Caffeine