In January 2021, Olympic monitor athlete and American file holder within the 1,500 meters, Shelby Houlihan, was banned from the game (1). She examined constructive for a steroid known as nandrolone in an out-of-competition check. Houlihan adamantly denied doping, claiming she had by no means heard of nandrolone. However unable to show contamination or unintended 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 incontrovertible fact that has provoked combined 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 may 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 Listing of Ineligible Individuals (banned athletes) is 635 folks lengthy, and these had been simply the athletes who had been caught (5).
On the highest ranges of the game, motivations to cheat are sometimes obvious. Athletes vie for contracts in crowded markets, and industrial incentives are tethered to efficiency outcomes. Elite athletes additionally typically have giant social platforms, and so they can really feel pushed to carry out for these folks — to win at any price, 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 is likely to be motivated to cheat.
The extra fascinating query is why age group athletes and different severe, however non-professional, athletes may do the identical (6). Why may somebody cheat, absent the pressures of sponsorship or monetary constraints? What would inspire them to take action? I believe there are no less than three causes.
1. Normlessness
Considered one of my first ultramarathon races was held on a looped course. This meant, in contrast to on a point-to-point course, there was important interplay amongst members from the entrance to the again of the sphere all through the occasion. It was great.
At one level throughout the race, I slowed down a bit, scuffling with a sore shin. A person approached me and supplied one among his prescription painkillers to alleviate the ache. I mentioned no. I used to be proven too many cautionary movies in center faculty 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. After I take into consideration doping, I typically think about folks deliberately and maliciously taking medication. I consider unhealthy actors attempting to get an edge, not prosocial gestures from sort, if ill-informed, strangers.
I’m positive there are many unhealthy 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 need 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 Yr-in-Overview abstract, totaling the mileage and hours logged over the previous three hundred and sixty five days. I all the time have combined emotions once 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.
It is a second cause why doping is not only knowledgeable runner drawback. Working is a big time funding for anybody who often participates. We are likely to care about it. It shapes our identities — in good and unhealthy methods. I can see any runner desirous to make good on that funding by slicing corners and attempting to maximise outcomes. Simply because a runner doesn’t compete in working as a occupation doesn’t make them resistant to desirous to carry out on the highest stage attainable, by no matter means attainable.
The time that runners put money into coaching can contribute to the temptation to bend the principles. 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 in poor health, 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 historical past. And not one of the interventions I listed is banned. Regardless, I ponder whether a few 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 if you evaluate “taking a drug” with “taking no medication.” It’s in all probability simpler to clarify 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 comparable constructive impacts on my coaching.” The road within the sand between “good” and “unhealthy” has grow to be wiggly and fuzzier.
Once more, the interventions I described usually are not illicit. However I can see how optimization interventions may present an explanatory bridge to taking illicit substances.
Optimization interventions reminiscent of reliance on permitted dietary supplements may present an explanatory bridge to taking illicit substances. Photograph: Shutterstock
Last Ideas
There are possible many the explanation why folks dope, in any respect ranges of competitors. Many are tied to identification and delight. However I additionally suppose our sport has area to enhance with respect to educating members about what, precisely, constitutes dishonest. And I fear concerning the new emphasis on optimization — that it could end in elevated situations of athletes crossing strains.
Name for Feedback (from the Editors)
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References/Notes
Kumar, A. 16 June 2021. “Shelby Houlihan ban: Produce other athletes efficiently used the meat protection to plead their case?” ESPN. Net Accessed 1 March 2025.
Ingle, S. 1 September 2021. “Cas says ‘near zero’ likelihood burrito led to Shelby Houlihan’s failed medication check.” The Guardian. Net Accessed 1 March 2025.
Mull, C. 16 January 2025. “Olympian Shelby Houlihan Is Returning To The Observe After A 4-Yr Ban. Right here’s What to Know.” Forbes. Net 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 suppose the dialog round dishonest is critical for holding the game intact.
World Listing of Ineligible Individuals. 1 January 2025. Athletics Integrity Unit. Net Accessed 4 January 2025.
See S. Usborne. 1 June 2016. “Dope and glory: the rise of dishonest in beginner sport.” The Guardian. Net Accessed 1 March 2025. See additionally Why Age Groupers Cheat. 6 February 2020. Triathlete Journal. Net Accessed 1 March 2025.
