[Point of view on doping]

Doping is defined as the administration of or use by competing athletes of any substance foreign to the body or of any physiological substance taken in abnormal quantity or taken by an abnormal route of entry into the body with the sole intention of increasing in an artificial and unfair manner his/her performance in competition. The prevalence of doping has been estimated by rigorous methods to be 5-15%. The only two dopings of established efficacy are: anabolic steroids for resistive performance, and blood doping for endurance performance. Although medical control of athletes is reputably poor, reported accidents attributable to doping have been until now very rare. Doping is unfair, and must as such be banned from competitions. Medicalized doping is unethical. More studies are required to improve knowledge of doping as a public health issue. Sports medicine is in need of scientific and moral revalorization.