In January 2021, Olympic monitor athlete and American report holder within the 1,500 meters, Shelby Houlihan, was banned from the game (1). She examined constructive for a steroid known as nandrolone in an out-of-competition take a look at. Houlihan adamantly denied doping, claiming she had by no means heard of nandrolone. However unable to show contamination or unintentional ingestion, Houlihan was banned for 4 years — a interval that noticed her miss two Olympics, forfeit her sponsorship, and be faraway from her livelihood on the peak of her profession (2).
Now in 2025, Houlihan is newsworthy once more. Her ban ended, and he or she has returned to the highest of the game (3) — a incontrovertible fact that has provoked combined reactions from rivals and followers, primarily based largely on whether or not or not they imagine her claims of innocence. Houlihan’s return has additionally generated conversations about testing strategies, the size of doping sanctions, and the way rivals and followers may comport themselves round these beforehand banned.
Shelby Houlihan (proper) competing on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Picture: Shutterstock
Motivations to Cheat
No matter whether or not Houlihan doped (4), many runners do. That is an uneasy reality about sports activities — that individuals cheat. On the time of this text’s writing, the Athletics Integrity Unit’s International Record of Ineligible Individuals (banned athletes) is 635 individuals lengthy, and these had been simply the athletes who had been caught (5).
On the highest ranges of the game, motivations to cheat are usually obvious. Athletes vie for contracts in crowded markets, and industrial incentives are tethered to efficiency outcomes. Elite athletes additionally usually have giant social platforms, and so they can really feel pushed to carry out for these individuals — to win at any price, to keep up their relevance. These causes don’t justify dishonest behaviors. However — notably in conditions of monetary necessity — it’s clear why an athlete is perhaps motivated to cheat.
The extra fascinating query is why age group athletes and different severe, however nonprofessional, athletes may do the identical (6). Why may somebody cheat, absent the pressures of sponsorship or monetary constraints? What would encourage them to take action? I believe there are a minimum of three causes.
1. Normlessness
One in all my first ultramarathon races was held on a looped course. This meant, not like on a point-to-point course, there was important interplay amongst members from the entrance to the again of the sphere all through the occasion. It was fantastic.
At one level throughout the race, I slowed down a bit, battling a sore shin. A person approached me and provided one in every of his prescription painkillers to alleviate the ache. I mentioned no. I used to be proven too many cautionary movies in center college well being class to be unaware that I mustn’t settle for medication from strangers.
This was a startling expertise. Whereas this man was violating World Anti-Doping Affiliation (WADA) guidelines, he was doing so from kindness. Once I take into consideration doping, I usually think about individuals deliberately and maliciously taking medication. I consider unhealthy actors attempting to get an edge, not prosocial gestures from form, if ill-informed, strangers.
I’m certain there are many unhealthy actors within the sport, motivated by greed or malice. However what I spotted that day was that some persons are unaware of the norms and tasks of anti-doping. They lack an training regarding clear sport expectations and are “normless” in that respect. If we need to clear up the game, we have to dedicate extra time to educating all runners about dishonest.
2. Id
Like many runners, I take advantage of the mileage-recording social media platform, Strava. On the finish of the 12 months, Strava sends subscribers a Yr-in-Overview abstract, totaling the mileage and hours logged over the previous one year. I at all times have combined emotions after I obtain these summaries — enjoyment of inspecting annual statistics and misgivings in regards to the time I spent in sneakers. Coaching is a big time funding. All these little runs add up.
It is a second purpose why doping isn’t just an expert runner downside. Working is a big time funding for anybody who often participates. We are likely to care about it. It shapes our identities — in good and unhealthy methods.
I can see any runner desirous to make good on that funding by chopping corners and attempting to maximise outcomes. Simply because a runner doesn’t compete in operating as a career doesn’t make them resistant to desirous to carry out on the highest degree doable, by means of no matter means doable.
The time that runners spend money on coaching can contribute to the temptation to bend the foundations. Picture: iRunFar/Ezster Horanyi
3. Optimization
I’ve beforehand written in regards to the pitfalls of the optimization tradition in sport — fixating one’s consideration on the pursuit of maximizing bodily outcomes. For good and for in poor health, we’re in an optimization period of operating. Runners are experimenting with sodium bicarbonate and consuming exogenous ketones. We’re evaluating supershoes, consuming high-carbohydrate gels, and exploring the variations in coaching stimulus ensuing from sustained efforts versus double-threshold exercises.
A lot of that is progress and a pure a part of how sports activities unfold by means of historical past. And not one of the interventions I listed is banned. Regardless, I ponder whether among the extra “grey space” optimization interventions will present a bridge to doping behaviors.
It’s straightforward to see you might be doing one thing blameworthy whenever you evaluate “taking a drug” with “taking no medication.” It’s in all probability simpler to elucidate away, or to persuade your self that it’s okay, to violate norms when the distinction is between “taking an appropriate drug that gives an edge however that everybody says is okay” with “taking this different drug that’s banned however has related constructive impacts on my coaching.” The road within the sand between “good” and “unhealthy” has turn out to be wiggly and fuzzier.
Once more, the interventions I described will not be illicit. However I can see how optimization interventions may present an explanatory bridge to taking illicit substances.
Optimization interventions akin to reliance on permitted dietary supplements may present an explanatory bridge to taking illicit substances. Picture: Shutterstock
Ultimate Ideas
There are possible many the explanation why individuals dope, in any respect ranges of competitors. Many are tied to id and pleasure. However I additionally assume our sport has house to enhance with respect to educating members about what, precisely, constitutes dishonest. And I fear in regards to the new emphasis on optimization — that it could lead to elevated cases of athletes crossing traces.
Name for Feedback (From the Editors)
We welcome dialogue within the feedback part consistent with iRunFar’s remark coverage, which exists to assist facilitate difficult conversations constructively. Feedback not adhering to this coverage are topic to redaction or elimination. Thanks!
- Do you’re feeling that doping is a big downside in beginner sport?
- What else do you assume might be finished to fight this?
References/Notes
- Kumar, A. 16 June 2021. “Shelby Houlihan ban: Produce other athletes efficiently used the meat protection to plead their case?” ESPN. Internet <https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/id/31640520/shelby-houlihan-ban-other-athletes-successfully-used-meat-defense-plead-their-case> Accessed 1 March 2025.
- Ingle, S. 1 September 2021. “Cas says ‘near zero’ chance burrito led to Shelby Houlihan’s failed medication take a look at.” The Guardian. Internet <https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2021/sep/01/cas-say-close-to-zero-probability-shelby-houlihan-failed-drugs-test-due-to-burrito> Accessed 1 March 2025.
- Mull, C. 16 January 2025. “Olympian Shelby Houlihan Is Returning To The Observe After A 4-Yr Ban. Right here’s What to Know.” Forbes. Internet <https://www.forbes.com/websites/corymull/2025/01/16/olympian-shelby-houlihan-is-returning-to-the-track-after-a-four-year-ban-heres-what-to-know/> Accessed 1 March 2025.
- I’ve no privileged details about this case or curiosity in assessing whether or not this athlete was responsible. However I do assume the dialog round dishonest is important for conserving the game intact.
- International Record of Ineligible Individuals. 1 January 2025. Athletics Integrity Unit. Internet <https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/downloads/pdfs/disciplinary-process/en/International-Record-JAN_25.pdf > Accessed 4 January 2025.
- See S. Usborne. 1 June 2016. “Dope and glory: the rise of dishonest in beginner sport.” The Guardian. Internet <https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2016/jun/01/dope-and-glory-the-rise-of-cheating-in-amateur-sport> Accessed 1 March 2025. See additionally Why Age Groupers Cheat. 6 February 2020. Triathlete Journal. Internet <https://www.triathlete.com/tradition/age-groupers-cheat/> Accessed 1 March 2025.
