In this blog post, we’ll explore the history of doping, the effects of banned substances, the scientific principles behind doping tests, and the emergence of new doping techniques designed to evade detection.
Why has doping become a problem in sports?
The article “The Bowed-Head ‘Marine Boy’ and the Temptation of Steroids” in ‘Science Dong-A’ addresses the controversy surrounding doping. Swimmer Park Tae-hwan, who was nicknamed “Marine Boy” after winning numerous medals at the Olympics and Asian Games, was embroiled in controversy in 2014 when he tested positive for testosterone. Park Tae-hwan’s camp claimed that he had received an injection of Nebido—which contained a banned substance—at a hospital and that they were holding the hospital accountable; meanwhile, the doctor who administered the medication claimed he was unaware that testosterone was a banned substance. Ultimately, Park Tae-hwan received an 18-month suspension from the International Swimming Federation (FINA) in 2015, and the medals he won at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games were stripped. To fully understand this controversy, it is necessary to examine what doping is, what effects the substances used in doping have, and how they are detected.
Doping refers to the use of prohibited substances or methods by athletes to artificially enhance their performance. Although doping has existed for a long time, in the past there were no systematic regulations like those in place today, and doping tests did not exist in their current form. One of the events that brought doping to the forefront as a major issue in the sports world was the death of a cyclist at the 1960 Rome Olympics. At that time, Danish cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen collapsed and died during a race, and when it was revealed that the use of stimulants was linked to the incident, it sent shockwaves through the sports world. Following this incident, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) began establishing a system to address doping issues, and Olympic doping tests were first implemented at the 1968 Winter Olympics in Grenoble and the Summer Olympics in Mexico City.
A landmark incident illustrating the severity of doping also occurred at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson, competing in the 100-meter dash, won the gold medal while setting a new world record, but a post-race doping test detected the anabolic steroid stanozolol. As a result, his gold medal and world record were stripped, and he was suspended from competition. Thus, doping is recognized as an issue that goes beyond the mere act of taking drugs during competition; it undermines the fundamental spirit of sports, which requires athletes to compete fairly based on their inherent abilities and training.
Why Can Testosterone Enhance Athletic Performance?
Testosterone, the main ingredient in Nebido—the drug administered to swimmer Park Tae-hwan—is a type of male hormone and one of the most representative banned substances that can affect an athlete’s performance. Currently, testosterone is classified as an anabolic agent on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Prohibited List. The Korea Anti-Doping Agency also classifies testosterone as a representative anabolic agent and explains that, along with effects related to muscle growth, it carries the risk of various side effects.
The effects of testosterone on muscle mass and strength have been confirmed through actual research. In a study published in 2001, 61 healthy men aged 18 to 35 had their endogenous testosterone production suppressed and were then divided into five groups, each receiving 25, 50, 125, 300, or 600 mg of testosterone enanthate weekly for 20 weeks. The results showed that changes in lean body mass, muscle size, muscle strength, and muscle power were closely related to testosterone concentration and dosage. Changes in hemoglobin and IGF-1—a factor that aids muscle synthesis—also showed a positive correlation with testosterone concentration.
Since anabolic agents such as testosterone can enhance athletic performance, these substances are strictly regulated in anti-doping efforts. Substances used for doping are not limited to steroidal androgens. The Prohibited List includes a variety of substances, such as stimulants that can affect blood circulation and alertness, and erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (EPO) used to enhance endurance. Currently, WADA’s Prohibited List is managed by comprehensively considering not only the potential for performance enhancement but also the risks to athletes’ health and the potential to undermine the integrity of sport.
Furthermore, indiscriminate use of banned substances can lead to problems with the cardiovascular system and liver, among others. In the case of anabolic agents such as testosterone, men may experience side effects including testicular atrophy, reduced sperm count, and erectile and sexual dysfunction. Therefore, the ban on doping is a measure designed not only to uphold fair competition but also to protect athletes’ health.
How Do Doping Tests Detect Substances?
Substances used for doping undergo various metabolic processes in the body and can be detected in urine or blood. Doping tests analyze urine or blood samples collected from athletes to check for the presence of prohibited substances, their metabolites, or markers indicating their use. The Korea Anti-Doping Agency also collects urine and blood samples for doping testing. Current doping tests go beyond simply measuring the quantity of a specific substance; they involve precise analysis of prohibited substances, their metabolites, and biomarkers.
One of the primary analytical methods used in doping tests is chromatography. Chromatography is a method of separating substances by utilizing the property that various components in a mixture move at different rates. When drugs are present in samples such as blood or urine, they exhibit different behaviors during the separation process depending on their chemical properties. The separated substances can then be identified using other analytical instruments. In particular, current doping tests widely utilize precise analytical technologies such as GC-MS (gas chromatography–mass spectrometry) and LC-MS (liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry), which combine gas or liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry. WADA’s International Standards also confirm that the combination of chromatography and mass spectrometry is used as a primary analytical technique for identifying prohibited substances, their metabolites, and markers.
In a healthy human body, hormones maintain homeostasis within a certain range; however, when hormones or hormone-like substances are administered externally, changes may occur in the body’s hormone concentrations and metabolites. In particular, for substances like testosterone that are naturally produced in the body, precise analytical methods may be used not only to confirm their mere presence but also to determine whether they were administered externally by analyzing metabolites and carbon isotope ratios.
WADA has also been conducting research using isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) to distinguish between endogenous and exogenous sources of testosterone and related metabolites detected in urine.
As such, doping tests are not merely tests to detect drugs in urine or blood, but a scientific analytical process that involves sample pretreatment, separation, concentration, and precise analysis to identify prohibited substances and their metabolites. In particular, as new prohibited substances continue to emerge, doping testing technology is evolving alongside them. WADA is also continuously developing mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-based analytical techniques to detect substances—such as peptide hormones and growth factors—that may be present in extremely low concentrations.
Are methods to evade doping tests also evolving?
As doping testing technology advances, methods to evade it are also emerging. In the past, athletes attempted strategies such as calculating the half-life of a substance to time its use so it would not be detected during testing, or combining it with other substances to accelerate the metabolism and excretion of the banned substance from the body. Another problematic practice involved using substances to enhance athletic performance during training and then discontinuing their use by the time of a competition or test. However, since doping tests are not limited to competition days but are also conducted outside of competition periods, it is becoming increasingly difficult to evade detection using this method alone.
An even more serious issue that has emerged is genetic doping. Genetic doping refers to methods that use genetic material or gene delivery vectors to alter specific bodily functions and enhance athletic performance. Whereas traditional doping involved administering specific substances into the body, genetic doping can induce changes in the body’s biological functions themselves, making detection and regulation even more difficult. Currently, methods related to genetic and cellular manipulation are classified as prohibited doping methods on WADA’s Prohibited List. This is why the Prohibited List and analytical techniques must evolve in tandem whenever new substances or methods emerge.
Ultimately, the relationship between doping and doping testing can be described as a form of scientific competition in which advances on one side drive advances on the other. When a new prohibited substance emerges, analytical methods are developed to detect it; when new evasion methods appear, testing technologies capable of identifying them become necessary. Today’s doping testing utilizes not only precision analytical technologies—such as chromatography and mass spectrometry—but also long-term biological data management systems like athlete biological passports. The Korea Anti-Doping Agency also carries out anti-doping activities through various methods, including testing using urine and blood samples, result management, and the administration of athlete biological passports.
What Is Needed for Fair Sports?
In the doping case involving swimmer Park Tae-hwan, the athlete’s side argued that there was no intent, but under anti-doping regulations, an athlete may be held liable if a prohibited substance, its metabolite, or a marker is detected in their sample. This is because the so-called “strict liability principle” applies under anti-doping regulations. In other words, regardless of whether the athlete intentionally used the substance, the athlete bears the responsibility to exercise due care to ensure that prohibited substances do not enter their body. However, the specific severity of sanctions may vary depending on various factors, such as the presence of negligence or gross negligence.
Therefore, to reduce such incidents in the future, athletes must always verify the ingredients of any medications they take or are administered, and carefully review doping regulations whenever using pharmaceuticals or supplements. Doctors and medical staff must also accurately verify whether the ingredients of any medications administered to athletes are included on the Prohibited List and ensure they are fully familiar with relevant regulations and drug information.
To uphold fair competition in sports, advancing doping testing technology alone is not enough. It is also crucial for athletes, coaches, and medical staff to share accurate information about prohibited substances and work together to prevent doping. Ultimately, the purpose of anti-doping efforts is not merely to detect misconduct, but to safeguard both the health of athletes and the integrity of competition.
