The new front in the war on doping: Amateur athletes.

The war on drugs is usually associated with criminal policies aimed at stemming consumption of drugs such as heroin, cocaine, and cannabis, less so with enhancement drugs like those used in sport. As drug use in sport, or doping, has become more visibly widespread, policies aimed at combating the issue have become more restrictive, intrusive, and harsh. In this article we draw new comparisons between the wider war on drugs and recent developments in sports anti-doping.

Questions of fairness and anti-doping in US cycling: The contrasting experiences of professionals and amateurs.

The focus of researchers, media and policy on doping in cycling is often limited to the professional level of the sport. However, anti-doping test results since 2001 demonstrate that banned substances are also used by US cyclists at lower levels of the sport, necessitating a broader view of the patterns and motivations of substance use within the sport. In this article, we describe and explain the doping culture that has emerged in domestic US cycling among amateur and semi-professionals.

Health Culture and Running: Non-Elite Runners' Understandings of Doping and Supplementation.

Participants at the non-elite level of road running often take up the sport for purposes of health, as a way of taking responsibility for their own well-being. Often, these runners use dietary supplements as a way to improve health and to potentially enhance running performance. Supplements are distinct from banned performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), as they are legal and widely available, though very loosely regulated.

The complexities of anti-doping violations: a case study of sanctioned cases in all performance levels of USA cycling.

The use of banned substances and techniques in sport is regulated by anti-doping rules co-ordinated by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The purposes of these rules are to protect the health of the athlete, the level playing field and what WADA refers to as the spirit of sport. In this article, we review the known cases of sanctions in USA cycling since 2001.