It is not known for sure where the word doping comes from, some associate it with an old English word ‘dope’ which was like a paste or grease, but now the term is used as a generic drug. The British Encyclopedia attributes it to the Flemish voice ‘doop’ which is used to determine a mixture. Also it is said that it comes from the South African term ‘dope’ that was an alcoholic drink used in ceremonial dances.
The use of substances or other means to improve the brand is as old as the sport of competition. For example, it is known that athletes who participated between the fourth and eighth century in the Olympics of ancient Greece used special diets and stimulating potions to fortify themselves. These Greek athletes had significant economic gains that some of them sought illegal means to win at any cost. By the late nineteenth century, it is known that some cyclists often used strychnine, caffeine and alcohol. In 1928, the International Athletics Federation was the first agency to have banned the use of doping substances. Most international sports federations introduced doping controls in the 1970s. However, these controls were ineffective because they did not detect the presence of anabolic steroids for doping that were being used by many athletes since 1960s.
In the mid-twentieth century, the consumption of anabolic steroids for doping became so common that the athletes consumed them from school leagues to the Olympic Games. The anabolic steroids for doping spread more rapidly in cycling, boxing and weightlifting.
In the Olympiad of Rome 60, the Danish Knud Enemark died for the use of amphetamines and in 1967 during the Tour de France English Tom Simpson died of exhaustion and dehydration because of a mixture of amphetamines and alcohol. These two tragic events accelerated the process to avoid drug use in sports for doping.
In the 90s, the technology with which the substances were detected was questioned for the reason that the progress in the improvement of these happened faster, which made it difficult to identify the anabolic steroids for doping. Thus, in 1999, World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was created, a foundation that promotes the fight against anabolic steroids for doping.
Regardless of the origin of the word, its use at present is limited to the field of sport. The use of substances restricted or prohibited by non-athletes is a public health issue and is not covered by anti-doping regulations. On the other hand, the problem of the use of anabolic steroids for doping substances or methods should not be confused or mixed with the topic of drug addiction that has different origins, characteristics and management. The use of prohibited substances or methods in animals is not covered by the World Anti-Doping Code and forms part of the International Federation of such sports in the case of equestrian sports.