Abstract:
In professional sport, doping is the use of prohibited drugs that improve the
physical performance of athletes. Historically speaking, the origins of doping in
sports have their roots since the ancient times, and the opinions of the public
and of the athletes have varied greatly from country to country over the years.
The general tendency among sports authorities and organizations over the last
few decades has been to strictly regulate the consumption of doping substances
in sports. The reasons for the ban are in particular the health risks of drugs that
improve performance, equal opportunities for athletes and the benefits of sport
without doping for the entire society. Public debates associated with the use of
substances with a recent doping effect have entered the focus of bioethics, which
could become an effective lever in guiding moral decisions in sport.