Doping › Dept. of Justice

The term Doping refers to the use of "performance-enhancing drugs" in order to gain a competitive edge in sporting events. Doping is widely viewed as unethical by most sporting organizations and many... more +

The term Doping refers to the use of "performance-enhancing drugs" in order to gain a competitive edge in sporting events. Doping is widely viewed as unethical by most sporting organizations and many organizations dole out heavy penalties against participants found to be engaging in the practice. Doping can take many forms, including the use of steroids, amphetamines, and medically unnecessary blood transfusions, to name a few. Opponents of doping cite the dangerous and negative health effects on athletes, improper pressure on "clean" athletes to dope to maintain competitive standing with doping athletes, and distortion of fair athletic competition, as reasons to ban the practice.