From ancient usage of substances in chariot racing to more recent controversies in doping in baseball, doping in tennis, doping at the Olympic Games, and doping at the Tour de France, popular views among athletes have varied widely from country to country over the years.
Doping is the use of substances or techniques to illegally improve human performance and, more specifically, to gain a competitive advantage in athletic events.
At the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), we are dedicated to preserving the integrity of sport through education, innovation, and rigorous testing. As the leader in anti-doping efforts, we champion clean competition, safeguard athletes’ health, and inspire confidence in fair play.
WADA’s primary role is to develop, harmonize and coordinate anti-doping rules and policies across all sports and countries. Our key activities include scientific and social science research; education; intelligence & investigations; development of anti-doping capacity; and monitoring of compliance with the World Anti-Doping Program.
“Doping” refers to the use of banned substances in competitive sports. Performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) is another term used to for drugs used by athletes to improve their athletic performance.
The use of doping substances or doping methods to enhance performance is fundamentally wrong and is detrimental to the overall spirit of sport. Drug misuse can be harmful to an athlete’s health and to other athletes competing in the sport.
At the forefront of this global battle against doping stands the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), established in 1999 to set and uphold standards in combating sports doping.
From negative effects on mental and physical health, to loss of sponsorship or prize money, to permanent damage to an athlete’s image and relationships, it is important to understand and consider all consequences of doping.