July 2007

Partnership Forms to Combat Doping

Doping, or the use of performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids, by athletes of all ages and levels has been in the news a great deal in the past several years. This unethical practice has been banned throughout the world by various sports organizations—most notably the International Olympic Committee—because of the health threat it poses to athletes, the way it impedes healthy competition and the impression it gives the watching public. But measures to prevent doping have, until now, largely focused on testing and punishing doping athletes, rather than preventive measures aimed at those who help athletes gain access to outlawed substances and practices.

The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM), whose 20,000 international, national and regional members are devoted to researching and practicing sports medicine and exercise science, has teamed up with the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), in an initiative that aims to take a strong ethical stance against doping, particularly as it relates to interaction, use or prescription among ACSM members.

The first phase in the partnership included the establishment of a statement of principles for ethical behavior. Sports medicine physicians, certified personal trainers and other health professional members must live up to this code of ethics, which includes stringent anti-doping expectations.

"Up to now the emphasis has been on athletes, and often on detection and sanctions for doping rather than prevention," said Gary Wadler, M.D., an expert in doping and steroid use in sports. "Now we're working to directly involve the professionals who work with athletes, emphasizing their professional education and responsibilities."

The statement of principles for ethical behavior for ACSM members includes commitments by those members to:

• Treat or train athletes with the objective of maintaining the integrity of competition and fair play.
• Treat or train athletes with the utmost care and to the highest level of one's professional competence.
• Acknowledge awareness of international doping control standards.
• Treat athletes only as their medical conditions warrant and to observe the rules of the appropriate anti-doping organizations regarding use of prohibited substances or methods.
• Not advise, aid or abet any athlete to use prohibited substances or methods of doping.
• Use all means possible to deter doping by athletes one is treating or training.
• Maintain confidentiality of personal medical information and protect the right of the clean athlete to compete.

Members also agree that any departure from the list of principles will lead to sanctions by the ACSM.

Two more phases are planned for the partnership. The second phase of the program will establish a national coalition with other organizations and sports governing bodies to adopt these ethical standards. The third phase will encourage licensing boards and other certifying organizations to include anti-doping rules.

For more information, visit www.usada.org and www.acsm.org.