Help with an essay anyone??!!!

TomA
TomA Posts: 60
edited June 2012 in Campaign
I know this is a bit cheeky but i thought i'd try it and see what response i got from my post.
I am writing an essay about athletes on prescribed medication and whether or not it is fair that they are banned from competing and whether they have an advantage or not when taking their medication?
This is really just a rough start to the essay so please bear with me. Things will have to be tweaked still. Just any relevant information would be a great help.
Thanks people.
This is what I have done so far....


Is it appropriate that athletes on prescribed medication are banned from international competition or do they have an unfair advantage?

There are many athletes who have to use substances which are in ‘The 2012 Prohibited List’ set by the world anti-doping agency (WADA). For French cyclist Franck Bouyer, to be able to compete and train, he had to regularly take the banned substance, Modafinil for his narcolepsy and cataplexy. Chris Boardman, Great British cyclist had to take early retirement for the treatment which he received relating to the Osteoporosis in which he suffered from. The hormone treatment which was to be given to him to help his bones become stronger was also on the prohibited list. Is it ethical to permanently ban an athlete who is using a ‘prohibited substance’ for a genuine medical condition which can be proven? Does it make a difference in their performance when competing or does it just bring the disadvantaged athlete up to the same level as the other athletes?

The WADA do have a ‘Therapeutic Use Exemption’ (TUE) system but only some athletes can claim TUE allowing them to continue to take and receive the medication that is needed. But some medication is just out right banned. Finding the fine line between bringing the athletes up to a ‘normal’ level and going beyond ‘normal’ giving an advantage is sometimes harder to scientifically discover. This is when the only thing to do is to ban the athlete outright.

Formed in 2004 Team Type 1 (TT1), a world-class athletic program of just eight athletes with diabetes was set up. Five years later TT1 had reached out to several different sports including professional cycling, running, triathlon, a developmental team, women’s professional team and Team Type 2 had all been successfully set up. A majority of the athletes who race for TT1 have Type 1 Diabetes which, according to the WADA, the use of insulin which is needed to maintain levels of blood sugar is banned without official TUE.

How are the levels of Insulin given to the athletes measured with enough preciseness to not make a difference in performance?

Comments

  • turnerjohn
    turnerjohn Posts: 1,069
    worms, can open, :shock: !
    define normal ?!
    As every human is different and each condition is different, the only way to accurately judge this would be independant research and tests on each individual to determine exactly what doses...but even then how could you be sure of an optimum dose ? TBH I recon thats not possible...I;m waiting to be proved wrong lol.
    Sorry can be of more help....good luck wih the essay / project :D
  • TomA
    TomA Posts: 60
    Thanks!
  • i have lots of info on athletes in mixed martial arts that are on testosterone replacement therapy this is very controversial as everyone loses testosterone as they get older and some athletes compete right into their forties where testosterone can easily be just a fraction of that of a healthy 20 year old anyway have lods of info and could give you if you wish to use mixed martial arts and boxing as sources good luck with it all
  • shouldbeinbed
    shouldbeinbed Posts: 2,660
    what are you campaigning for with this essay? its not clear.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Legalise It!
    I don't do smileys.

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  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,539
    You might get some more replies in pro race as there are a lot of people who have researched doping on there (you may also start a war!!).