In January 2021, Olympic observe athlete and American file holder within the 1,500 meters, Shelby Houlihan, was banned from the game (1). She examined constructive for a steroid referred to 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 indisputable fact that has provoked blended 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 would possibly comport themselves round these beforehand banned.
Shelby Houlihan (proper) competing on the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Photograph: Shutterstock
Motivations to Cheat
No matter whether or not Houlihan doped (4), many runners do. That is an uneasy truth about sports activities — that folks cheat. On the time of this text’s writing, the Athletics Integrity Unit’s World Checklist of Ineligible Individuals (banned athletes) is 635 individuals lengthy, and these have been simply the athletes who have been caught (5).
On the highest ranges of the game, motivations to cheat are sometimes obvious. Athletes vie for contracts in crowded markets, and business incentives are tethered to efficiency outcomes. Elite athletes additionally typically have massive social platforms, they usually can really feel pushed to carry out for these individuals — to win at any value, to keep up their relevance. These causes don’t justify dishonest behaviors. However — notably in conditions of economic necessity — it’s clear why an athlete may be motivated to cheat.
The extra attention-grabbing query is why age group athletes and different critical, however non-professional, athletes would possibly do the identical (6). Why would possibly somebody cheat, absent the pressures of sponsorship or monetary constraints? What would encourage them to take action? I believe there are at the very least three causes.
1. Normlessness
One among my first ultramarathon races was held on a looped course. This meant, not like on a point-to-point course, there was vital interplay amongst individuals from the entrance to the again of the sector all through the occasion. It was great.
At one level throughout the race, I slowed down a bit, combating a sore shin. A person approached me and supplied certainly one 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 typically think about individuals deliberately and maliciously taking medication. I consider dangerous actors attempting to get an edge, not prosocial gestures from variety, if ill-informed, strangers.
I’m positive there are many dangerous actors within the sport, motivated by greed or malice. However what I spotted that day was that some individuals are unaware of the norms and duties of anti-doping. They lack an training regarding clear sport expectations and are “normless” in that respect. If we wish to clear up the game, we have to dedicate extra time to educating all runners about dishonest.
2. Identification
Like many runners, I exploit the mileage-recording social media platform, Strava. On the finish of the yr, Strava sends subscribers a 12 months-in-Evaluation abstract, totaling the mileage and hours logged over the previous three hundred and sixty five days. I all the time have blended emotions after I obtain these summaries — enjoyment of inspecting annual statistics and misgivings concerning the time I spent in sneakers. Coaching is a big time funding. All these little runs add up.
This can be a second cause why doping isn’t just knowledgeable runner downside. Working is a major time funding for anybody who commonly participates. We are inclined to care about it. It shapes our identities — in good and dangerous methods. I can see any runner eager to make good on that funding by chopping corners and attempting to maximise outcomes. Simply because a runner doesn’t compete in working as a occupation doesn’t make them resistant to eager to carry out on the highest stage potential, by way of no matter means potential.
The time that runners spend money on coaching can contribute to the temptation to bend the foundations. Photograph: iRunFar/Ezster Horanyi
3. Optimization
I’ve beforehand written concerning the pitfalls of the optimization tradition in sport — fixating one’s consideration on the pursuit of maximizing bodily outcomes. For good and for ailing, we’re in an optimization period of working. 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 way of historical past. And not one of the interventions I listed is banned. Regardless, I ponder whether a number of the extra “grey space” optimization interventions will present a bridge to doping behaviors.
It’s simple to see you might be doing one thing blameworthy while you examine “taking a drug” with “taking no medication.” It’s most likely 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 “dangerous” has turn into wiggly and fuzzier.
Once more, the interventions I described should not illicit. However I can see how optimization interventions would possibly present an explanatory bridge to taking illicit substances.
Optimization interventions comparable to reliance on permitted dietary supplements would possibly present an explanatory bridge to taking illicit substances. Photograph: Shutterstock
Ultimate Ideas
There are probably 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 area to enhance with respect to educating individuals about what, precisely, constitutes dishonest. And I fear concerning 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 according to iRunFar’s remark coverage, which exists to assist facilitate difficult conversations constructively. Feedback not adhering to this coverage are topic to redaction or removing. Thanks!
- Do you’re feeling that doping is a major downside in beginner sport?
- What else do you assume will be executed 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’ likelihood 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 4-12 months 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 retaining the game intact.
- World Checklist of Ineligible Individuals. 1 January 2025. Athletics Integrity Unit. Internet <https://www.athleticsintegrity.org/downloads/pdfs/disciplinary-process/en/World-Checklist-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.