Ask Vest Christiansen

Use of performance‐ and image‐enhancing substances among recreational athletes: a quantitative analysis of inquiries submitted to the Danish anti‐doping authorities

The use of performance‐ and image‐enhancing drugs/substances (PIED) outside elite sports appears to be increasing, although the current knowledge of the nature of PIED use among recreational athletes is scarce. The present study analyzed enquiries that were submitted to the Danish Anti Doping Agency (ADD) over an 18‐month period, to gain knowledge of PIED use among individuals who exercise recreationally in Denmark. One thousand three hundred ninety eight queries were examined with respect to the age and gender of the enquirer, affiliation to sport or exercise and substance in question. The key findings were that the ADD information service is generally used by males in their mid‐20s who exercise in gyms and are not engaged in competitive sports. Approximately 15% of the enquirers were users of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) or other substances banned within elite sports by the World Anti Doping Agency, and an additional 15% considered using such substances. The present results suggest that there is a pronounced interest in the use of AAS and other PIEDs among Danish gym members.

The Legacy of Festina: Patterns of Drug Use in European Cycling Since 1998

Since the Tour de France doping scandal of 1998 there has been a concerted effort to ‘clean up’ cycling. But has this meant a change in attitude regarding the use of doping within the professional cycling community? In order to compare norms and values of todays elite cyclist with those of earlier periods, three historical phases in modern cycling are identified, and an account of professional cyclists’ preparations is given for each phase. Because of the different attitudes to doping found between riders of different categories, the article considers it necessary to reject the commonly held view that elite cyclists all take part in the same deviant subculture.Since the Tour de France doping scandal of 1998 there has been a concerted effort to ‘clean up’ cycling. But has this meant a change in attitude regarding the use of doping within the professional cycling community? In order to compare norms and values of todays elite cyclist with those of earlier periods, three historical phases in modern cycling are identified, and an account of professional cyclists’ preparations is given for each phase. Because of the different attitudes to doping found between riders of different categories, the article considers it necessary to reject the commonly held view that elite cyclists all take part in the same deviant subculture.

Outline of a typology of men’s use of anabolic androgenic steroids in fitness and strength training environments*

Abstract Recent research into the use of anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) in fitness and strength training environments have revealed great variance in users’ approach to AAS use and more specifically their approach to health risks and desired objectives. However, there have only been few attempts to develop theoretical frameworks directed at conceptualising the variance in AAS use. In this paper, we propose a unified framework in the form of a typology, which concerns men’s general approach to AAS use. The typology is based on sociologist Max Weber’s method on the ideal typology. The work comes out of the authors’ own qualitative empirical research on male AAS users in fitness and strength training environments, but is also related to and draws on the international literature on the subject. The suggested typology consists of four ideal types: the Expert type, the Well-being type, the YOLO type and the Athlete type. The four types are developed around two overarching categories, namely users’ approach to risk and effectiveness. The typology outlines distinct and characteristic approaches to AAS use and can, thus, be employed by researchers as well as health professionals as a heuristic tool for investigation and explanation.

Sports philosophy now – the culture of sports after the Lance Armstrong scandal

in any book that compiles dozens of collaborations, is the unequal length of the chapters: some are six pages long, whereas others have 20 pages. other books in the market attempt to summarize the cultural and social aspects of doping, but they are little more than that, a summary. the wide variety of approaches in the handbook gives it a unique richness and variety unlike any other academic publication on doping to this date. one of the most common problems of multidisciplinary works like this one is that they require the reader to have a basic knowledge of the humanistic and social sciences in the volume. however, this is not an issue for this handbook. the collaborators have made an enormous effort to present their arguments in a way that is easy to understand for non-specialized readers, and to explain the basics, whenever necessary, to convey their arguments. this promotes discussion on doping across disciplines and helps provide a more complete view of what is at stake in the doping debate. the book is a must-have for anybody interested in the cultural and social aspects of doping in sport.