Drugs in Archery

[archer_thom]

I don't know where this should go on the forum, but this seems as relevant as anywhere.

I recently learned from a source who cannot be named but who should be considered to be absolutely reliable that since 2000 drug use (specifically beta-blockers) has been widespread in local competitions on the continent. The cheats apparently tend not to be international archers but incredibly over-competitive people who are nonetheless at a good national level. There seems to be very little testing (certainly in years of high level competitions I have never seen actual tests) and my source hinted that some of these offenders have such influence with national bodies that they and their teams are above suspicion. Furthermore my source said that some of these cheats openly discussed what they were taking during the competitions.

Has anyone had similar experiences in the UK? Or any other stories from elsewhere?

[archer_thom]

Interesting, so there are issues with it in the UK. Would asthma drugs have a similar effect to beta-blockers (prevention of shaking)?

[not dead yet]

i'm on 3 banned tablets but i am registered with FITA

[hooktonboy]

Originally Posted by not dead yet

i'm on 3 banned tablets but i am registered with FITA

One more than me, young man! I think prescribed is OK

Sam, I'm surprised about the asthma inhalers - but I guess it depends which? I think the usual reliever (salbutamol) is most likely to lead to tachycardia if used excessively - maybe its the "preventer" stuff (corticosteroid?)

Agree though - taking any of this stuff if you don't need it......they must be completely out of their minds. Long term side effects..........

If you remember "Big" Bill Werbeniuk from the 80s snooker world circuit, there was a rumour that he was allowed up to 18 pints of beer a session for something or other........

[Random_guy]

Actually having something prescribed isn't enough if you're drug tested, you need a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE) certificate (although in reality you're unlikely to be tested unless you're MB+, despite claims of random drugs testing on some entry forms).

And salbutimol IS on the banned list for archery. Not entirely sure why, as i'm pretty sure it won't give you any advantage what-so-ever (tends to make people very light headed if taken too much in one go...), but its definately on the list. I know there's a website some

[felixity]

i have the issue that i am prescribed a substance that is on the banned list, but it would not be detrimental to my health (as far as i understand the tue guidelines) if i did not take it and therefore i dont think it would be eligible for a tue.

i dont take it all the time but when i am in bad pain i cant sit up or walk so working is out of the question - let alone shooting. if i do have to take it then i have to accept that i cant really shoot above a certain level - which is rubbish.

at the minute im in a good patch and so feeling positive, at the moment i can grin and bear it and hope that it stays that way!

[Saw Finger]

Originally Posted by hooktonboy

...... that he was allowed up to 18 pints of beer a session for something or other........

A 20 yard target and 1/4 of a pint if you miss the gold. I'd be dead after a few dozen

[Deadeye Doc]

Originally Posted by sp220

.
Whatever it is in an inhaler, it has a mild tranquilizing effect. If you dose yourself up on it, it has a calming effect, including decreasing the heart rate - which would decrease shaking.

Sam

Please get your facts straight. Inhalers have in them several different types of medications for asthma. Primarily when asthma is mild occasional use of a beta-adrenergic drug is initiated. Should asthma become more of a problem inhaled steroids are used. These should be taken in combination with beta-adrenergic drugs and will be recomended to be used regularly for the duration of a prolonged or persistent episode of asthma.

Beta-adrenergic drugs can have no real beneficial effect in archery as they will inevitably speed up the heartrate. Furthermore they often cause shakes in the arms and hands. Inhaled steroids are principally glucocorticoids and as a consequence are unlikely to be beneficial, although they will be identifiable in a urine sample.

I'm always surprised that drugs that have no benefit to performance in archery should be banned. However, the reason they are banned in sport is because they will have an effect in, say, running, or swimming. Nevertheless, the lung capacity of most runners and swimmers is vastly greater than most of us mere mortals.

Now we come to the benefits of beta-blockers, which have the opposite effect to the beta-adrenergic drugs. The reason they were banned in shooting sports was that they were used in the 1970s extensively by the free pistol shooters. A steady hand, which if any of you know about rifle shooting, or pistol shooting, is essential. I have written elsewhere in the forum about ski-archery, and the ability of the archers to slow their heart rate at will. If your heart is pumping really hard after a circuit on cross-country skis, you will need to be able to squeeze off your shots with a steady hand. Beta-blockers slow your heart, and of course as you have noted are used for hypertensives.

Random-Guy is correct about the Therapeutic Use Exemption. Certainly, there are combined inhalers containing both beta-adrenergic drugs and inhaled steroids. If you look on the website World Anti-Doping Agency you will find details of the various drugs that are banned within sport. Part of the problem is that there are no sports specific bans on drugs. If the body that decides this were more sensible they would realise that drugs used for asthma are of no benefit at all to archers, other than that they will stop and archer's asthma attack, and thereby allow him/her to compete.

As I mentioned above this has been covered extensively elsewhere in the forum.

[Deadeye Doc]

Originally Posted by felixity

i have the issue that i am prescribed a substance that is on the banned list, but it would not be detrimental to my health (as far as i understand the tue guidelines) if i did not take it and therefore i dont think it would be eligible for a tue.

i dont take it all the time but when i am in bad pain i cant sit up or walk so working is out of the question - let alone shooting. if i do have to take it then i have to accept that i cant really shoot above a certain level - which is rubbish.

at the minute im in a good patch and so feeling positive, at the moment i can grin and bear it and hope that it stays that way!

Felixity

This is another problem with respect to illness of any sort. I will take you back to asthma. Many attacks are intermittent, and therefore the person may not be taking their medication continuously. They may have episodes where they are not afflicted by their problem.

Likewise with pain. Medications for pain may only be necessary intermittently. It really is very strange that what the WAD are looking for are banned drugs that are being used continuously. However, things such as blood doping are intermittent, and quite difficult to detect. Part of the reason that tests are performed "randomly" is in the vain hope that drug-cheats will be caught when they are taking the banned drugs.

Beta-blockers are likely to be taken for prolonged periods if not for the life of the individual, provided they are prescribed by a medical practitioner. I suspect that the Therapeutic Use Exemption is really only indicated for long-term medical use.

[Deadeye Doc]

Originally Posted by sp220

Deadeye Doc

I dont assume to know what is in an inhaler (as stated in the post)

But I am assuming that there must be some reason why an inhaler would provide some benefit and why it caused enough interest for them to be banned by those who do not require one.

If it were a disadvantage, then surely it wouldnt be a problem?

Sam,

As I stated WAD do not differentiate between sport. There is an advantage of beta-adrenergic in running sport or swimming. It is for this reason that inhalers are banned in sport in general.

If we were to look at archery in particular, inhalers are a general disadvantage for the reasons stated in my post. The drugs that I'm talking about resemble adrenaline, which I'm sure you are aware of as a stimulant, most certainly not a sedative.

The kind of drug used in an inhaler is medically beneficial. Drugs used in sport for competitive advantage are unlikely to be monitored by a medical practitioner and therefore could have long-term disadvantages to the health of the individual. Androgenic drugs used by weightlifters may well have long-term damaging effects.