Sports

Enhancement-
Blood Doping
By: Jacob Wentworth, Hunter Kero,
Dawson Kero
What is Blood-
Doping?
• Blood doping is a method that involves
using techniques and substances to boost
the number of red blood cells (RBCs) in
the body. This increases oxygen delivery
to the muscles, enhancing aerobic
capacity, endurance, and recovery. This
can be achieved through pharmaceuticals
like injecting Erythropoietin (EPO) or by
infusing extra red blood cells.
EPOs?
• Normally in the body, EPOs are produced
by the kidneys to increase the production of
red blood cells, in response to oxygen
levels falling in the tissues.
• EPOs are used within medical practice, its
main application is in treating conditions such
as kidney failure, chemotherapy-induced
anemia, and other disorders characterized by a
decrease in red blood cells.
Blood
Transfusion
• Increasing the amount of oxygen in
an athlete's blood by adding highly
oxygenated red blood cells via
transfusion.
• Types
o Autologous transfusion
o Homologous transfusion
How Does This Help
Athletes?

• Increase RBCs
• Increase O2 delivery
• Increases stamina
• Increases performance
• Increases VO2max
• Increases time to exhaustion
Testing For
Doping
• EPO Testing
o Blood and urine matrix testing.
• Blood Transfusion Testing
o Autologous
 No direct method
o Homologous
 Blood tests
Ethical Issue

• Should or should not,

blood doping be
allowed in sports?
Ethical Argument for Blood doping.

Strengths Weaknesses
Utilitarianism Enhances overall talent Cheating

Improves fan viewership Health Risk

Increase ratings Uneven playing field

Improves economical
aspect
Lance Armstrong
• From 1999-2005 won 7 consecutive
Tour de France titles.
o Allegations he was using banned
substances.
• 2012 United States Anti-Doping
Agency investigated and verified the
allegations.
• Banned from Olympic sports for life
and stripped of all 7 titles.
• Armstrong in an interview, "The
definition of ‘cheat’ is to gain an
advantage on a rival or foe that they
don’t have. I didn’t view it that way.
viewed it as a level playing field."
Argument Against
Blood Doping
Deontology and Virtue Ethics

Strengths

• Cheating
• Disrespect for rules and regulations
• Unfair to other athletes

Weaknesses

• Blood – transfusion using own blood, why is that

considered illegal enhancement.
• Other athletes may be doping as well, why should
I be at a disadvantage.
World Anti-Doping
Agency
• The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)
emphasizes the intrinsic value of sports
as a celebration of the human spirit,
body, and mind, embodying values like
fair play, honesty, respect
for oneself and others, adherence to
rules and laws, and
prioritizing health. The WADA List of
Prohibited Substances and
Methods targets any substance or
method meeting at least two of
three criteria: enhancing sport
performance, posing health risks
to athletes, or violating the spirit of sport.
Enhancing
Performance
• Improve athletes submaximal and
maximal endurance by increasing
amount of O2 being delivered to your
muscles and other parts of the body
• Reduce strain for athlete in heat and
altitude.
Health Risks

• Heart Disease
• Stroke
• Cerebral or pulmonary embolism
• Blood clotting
• AIDS
• Hepatitis
Spirit of the Sport

• Defined: "The pursuit of human

excellence through the dedicated
perfection of each person’s natural
talents."
o Fairness
o Respect
o Solidarity
Group
Decision
• Based on the World Anti-Doping
Agency, and using deontology,
blood doping is unethical and
should not be allowed in
competition.
• Which we agree is not right for the
sport or health
References
1. Perishable. (2020, January 3). Blood doping and EPO: An anti-doping FAQ: USADA. U.S. Anti-Doping Agency
(USADA). https://www.usada.org/spirit-of-sport/education/blood-doping-epo-faq/
2. WebMD. (n.d.). Blood doping: Types, risks, and tests. WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/blood-doping
3. Sawka MN, Joyner MJ, Miles DS, Robertson RJ, Spriet LL, Young AJ. American College of Sports Medicine position
stand. The use of blood doping as an ergogenic aid. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 1996;28(6):i-viii.
4. Zmuda Palka M, Bigosińska M, Siwek M, Angelova-Igova B, Mucha DK. Doping in Sport-Attitudes of Physical Trainers
Students Regarding the Use of Prohibited Substances Increasing Performance. Int J Environ Res Public Health.
2023;20(5):4574. Published 2023 Mar 4. doi:10.3390/ijerph20054574
5. Blood doping: Types, risks, and tests. WebMD. Accessed April 25, 2024. https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/blood-
doping.
6. Silkwood-Sherer D. Utilitarianism. PowerPoint and Lecture presented at: PTH 695 Ethics in Physical Therapy; February
6, 2024; Mount Pleasant, MI.
7. Silkwood-Sherer D. Deontology. PowerPoint and Lecture presented at: PTH 695 Ethics in Physical Therapy; January 30,
2024; Mount Pleasant, MI.
8. Silkwood-Sherer D. Virtue Ethics. PowerPoint and Lecture presented at: PTH 695 Ethics in Physical Therapy; February
13, 2024; Mount Pleasant, MI.