History of Performance Enhancing Drugs
History of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports:
776 BC - 393 BC
Ancient Greeks Use Performance Enhancing Drugs
"The use of drugs to enhance performance in sports has certainly occurred since the time of the original Olympic Games [from 776 to 393 BC]. The origin of the word 'doping' is attributed to the Dutch word 'doop,' which is a viscous opium juice, the drug of choice of the ancient Greeks."
Larry D. Bowers, PhD "Athletic Drug Testing," Clinics in Sports Medicine, Apr. 1, 1998
1904-1920
Performance Enhancing Drugs Used in the Modern Olympic Games
"In 1904 Olympics marathon runner, Thomas Hicks, was using a mixture of brandy and strychnine [a stimulant that is fatal in high doses] and nearly died. Mixtures of strychnine, heroin, cocaine, and caffeine were used widely by athletes and each coach or team developed its own unique secret formulae. This was common practice until heroin and cocaine became available only by prescription in the 1920s."
Mark S. Gold, MD Performance-Enhancing Medications and Drugs of Abuse, 1992 1928
First Rule Against Doping in Sports
The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), the governing body for the sport of track and field, become the first international sporting federation to prohibit doping by athletes.
International Association of Athletics Federation, "Drugs in Sport/Doping Control," IAAF Medical Manual, www.iaaf.org (accessed May 13, 2009)
Aug. 26, 1960
First Athlete to Die in Olympic Competition Due to Doping
Danish cyclist, Knut Jensen, dies on Aug. 26, 1960 at the Summer Olympics in Rome during the 100km team time trial race. His collapse, which fractured his skull, is initially thought to be caused by the high temperatures that day. His autopsy, however, reveals traces of an amphetamine called Ronicol. Jensen is the second athlete ever to die during Olympic competition (the first was a marathon runner in 1912 who died from heat exhaustion).
NBC (National Broadcasting
776 BC - 393 BC
Ancient Greeks Use Performance Enhancing Drugs
"The use of drugs to enhance performance in sports has certainly occurred since the time of the original Olympic Games [from 776 to 393 BC]. The origin of the word 'doping' is attributed to the Dutch word 'doop,' which is a viscous opium juice, the drug of choice of the ancient Greeks."
Larry D. Bowers, PhD "Athletic Drug Testing," Clinics in Sports Medicine, Apr. 1, 1998
1904-1920
Performance Enhancing Drugs Used in the Modern Olympic Games
"In 1904 Olympics marathon runner, Thomas Hicks, was using a mixture of brandy and strychnine [a stimulant that is fatal in high doses] and nearly died. Mixtures of strychnine, heroin, cocaine, and caffeine were used widely by athletes and each coach or team developed its own unique secret formulae. This was common practice until heroin and cocaine became available only by prescription in the 1920s."
Mark S. Gold, MD Performance-Enhancing Medications and Drugs of Abuse, 1992 1928
First Rule Against Doping in Sports
The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF), the governing body for the sport of track and field, become the first international sporting federation to prohibit doping by athletes.
International Association of Athletics Federation, "Drugs in Sport/Doping Control," IAAF Medical Manual, www.iaaf.org (accessed May 13, 2009)
Aug. 26, 1960
First Athlete to Die in Olympic Competition Due to Doping
Danish cyclist, Knut Jensen, dies on Aug. 26, 1960 at the Summer Olympics in Rome during the 100km team time trial race. His collapse, which fractured his skull, is initially thought to be caused by the high temperatures that day. His autopsy, however, reveals traces of an amphetamine called Ronicol. Jensen is the second athlete ever to die during Olympic competition (the first was a marathon runner in 1912 who died from heat exhaustion).
NBC (National Broadcasting