Doping in Sports: Winning at Any Cost?

by Stephanie Sammartino McPherson

Overview

Behind the fame of big-time sports lies a complex web of controversy and deceit. Doping—the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) to gain a competitive athletic edge—is common in many sports. While doping can improve performance, it poses huge risks for athletes' health and careers. Some of the world's top athletes, from cyclist Lance Armstrong to professional baseball player Alex Rodriguez, have seen their images tarnished by doping scandals. Still, the pressure to win and high financial stakes drive many athletes to PEDs. Award-winning author Stephanie Sammartino McPherson uncovers the shadowy world of athletes who dope, the people and organizations that help them, and the scientists and officials committed to stopping them.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781467761482
Publisher:	Lerner Publishing Group
Publication date:	01/01/2016
Series:	Nonfiction - Young Adult
Pages:	104
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.60(d)
Lexile:	1280L (what's this?)
Age Range:	12 - 17 Years

About the Author

Stephanie Sammartino McPherson, a former teacher and freelance newspaper writer, enjoys writing about science and the human interest stories behind major discoveries. Stephanie and her husband Richard live in Virginia but also call California home.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Price of Victory 4

Chapter 2 A Brief History of Doping 14

Chapter 3 Anti-Doping Enforcement 26

Chapter 4 What Dopers are Using 40

Chapter 5 Beating the System 50

Chapter 6 Supply and Demand 62

Chapter 7 Turning a Blind Eye 70

Chapter 8 Doping in High Schools

Epilogue: The Untold Story 86

Timeline 90

Source Notes 91

Glossary 98

Selected Bibliography 99

Further Information 101

Index 102

Editorial Reviews

"The problem of performance-enhancing drugs often finds its way onto national news as well as inside high-school locker rooms. Monitoring the use of such chemicals has become a complicated dance among scientists, physicians, coaches, law enforcement, and athletes. This book addresses the issue on all levels, including a brief history of doping, beginning in the mid-twentieth century when performance-enhancing drugs were first formulated in laboratories. It also explores why doping can be so difficult to detect and monitor. While much focus is given to use on a professional level and high-profile doping scandals, the book does not shy away from the appeal of performance-enhancing drugs for school-age athletes, and their impact on young users. The price of success for an athlete's health, reputation, and integrity provides a comprehensive argument for deterrence. Building on the notion that misinformation is the enemy of prevention, the book seeks to make a strong case against doping through frank discussion and honest answers to sticky questions."—Booklist

From the Publisher

02/01/2016
Gr 9 Up—A critical examination of the doping subculture as it stretches across amateur and professional sports. The author includes anecdotal material from participants of all kinds—cyclists, football players, bodybuilders, doctors, scientists, and coaches—to supplement this chronological overview of the rise of doping and the subsequent response by leagues, oversight committees, and governments. Pull quotes and sidebars detail various scandals, ranging from the well-worn (Lance Armstrong, various Olympic games) to the troublingly recent (doping allegations against Manny Pacquiao by Floyd Mayweather). The content is well written and clear, with appropriate explanation of terms where necessary. Unfortunately, the book's format will not engage readers in a long perusal. The succinct presentation, packed with examples and citations, comes at the expense of analysis, and the sheer volume of name-dropping and references may overwhelm those new to the subject. Dense pages of text with few pictures, charts, or graphs leave users relying on interest alone to slog through the entire book. However, a basic glossary, short index, and detailed bibliography launch readers through the eight short chapters and epilogue to other sources. VERDICT Students will find this well-researched purchase helpful for the issue-based essay, though reluctant readers may give it up before the end for more engaging presentations.—Chelsea Woods, New Brunswick Free Public Library, NJ

School Library Journal

2016-02-02
American sportswriter Grantland Rice famously said, "It's not whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game," but winning is all that matters in contemporary sports, and athletes under tremendous pressure to find any competitive edge frequently turn to performance-enhancing drugs. McPherson notes that ingesting substances for a competitive edge is an old practice. Ancient Greek athletes consumed bull and sheep testicles for their large amounts of testosterone. Roman gladiators used stimulants to maintain stamina and increase strength. The use of PEDs became more common and widespread with the introduction of anabolic steroids. In the latter half of the 20th century, the intense pressure to win and high financial stakes increasingly drove athletes to doping of various kinds to improve performance at the risk of health and career. McPherson discusses how such athletes as Lance Armstrong, Marion Jones, and Alex Rodriguez have seen their images tarnished and careers ruined in doping scandals. A complex, shadowy world of athletes who dope, the people and organizations that help them, and the scientists and officials committed to stopping them is revealed. Her writing is brisk, moving through the history anecdote by anecdote in an efficient review. McPherson's concise, informative overview offers a solid introduction to the issue of doping in the high-stakes world of big-time sports. (timeline, source notes, glossary, bibliography, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

Kirkus Reviews

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