Question 1: Explain (relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things

evident; provide why and/or how) the relationship between planning and the avoidance of
overtraining. (8 marks)
For an athlete to avoid overtraining, a training program must incorporate three things;
amount/intensity of training, physiological considerations and psychological considerations.
Without acknowledging these three determinants, an athlete could well be over-trained.
Overtraining occurs from unusually high/intense workouts without adequate recovery time.
With this being said, the athlete will be training in a fatigued state. For example, if a netballer
goes from an intermediate to an elite level, going from training from 1-2 days a week at a
moderate intensity and then is training 3-4 days at moderate-high intensity and training at
the gym the other days can cause the athlete to become fatigued and less motivated. These
are examples of physiological and psychological factors of overtraining.
Physiological considerations include lethargy and injury. It is natural for any athlete to
experience periods of fatigue or tiredness during a training program, which can be corrected
by allowing more rest, a sport different from theirs (e.g. netballer goes swimming for
exercise) and consuming a diet high in carbohydrates. Physiological signs and symptoms of
an over trained athlete include:
Decline in physical performance
Loss of muscle strength (reversibility)
Loss of coordination
Decrease in maximal aerobic capacity
Injury (chronic or acute)
An athlete showing any of these signs or symptoms should be rested.
Overtraining can also affect the athlete psychologically. It is only natural to lose motivation
whilst engaging in a training program. Overtraining should be expected when a
player/athlete plays poorly with no ability to be able to fix easily and if/when some of the
following symptoms occur:
Sleep disturbances
Decreased self esteem
Social withdrawal
Emotionally unstable
Decreased motivation
An athlete showing any of these symptoms should be rested.

Question 2: Evaluate (make a judgement based on criteria; determine the value of) the
risks and ethical issues related to the use of drugs to improve performance. (12 marks)
Performance enhancing drugs (PED) can have several effects on an individual, including
health issues, financial issues and social issues. Not only can this effect the individual, but
can affect any athletes that has to compete against the individual taking PED, as this creates
an unfair playing field. With technological advancements frequently occurring, drug testing
will help eradicate any disadvantages experienced by clean athletes.
There are major health issues imposed on an individual who use PED. Certain health issues
can include;
- Heart attacks
- CVD
- Liver damage
- Blood clots
Not only are there health issues, income issues as well, such as loss of sponsorships when
youre exposed due to taking drugs. For example, Ben Johnson, the Canadian sprinter, beat
the world record in 1988 and was later tested positive for steroids. He was stripped of his
titles and was banned for life from participating in any events.
Steroids are a type of drug used to enhance strength. Anabolic steroids are used by athletes
in sports such as weightlifting, who want to gain muscle and strength quickly. Not only do
these steroids cause hypertrophy on visible muscles, but causes muscles such as the heart
to also grow, shortening the athletes life span. This is also an unfair advantage to the steroid
user.
For aerobic athletes, Erythropoietin (EPO) are used to enhance endurance. For example,
Floyd Landis, a 2006 Tour de France winner was found out about taking steroids and other
PEDs. He was stripped of his winning title and lost $3,000,000 worth of sponsorships. The
fact that these things can happen when tested positive for PEDs, this may scare other
athletes into not taking drugs, as well as the awareness of knowing the harm they can do to
your body (heart attack, stroke, blood clot)
Diuretics and alcohol are used in an attempt to mask any PEDs taken by the athlete. Both of
these substances make the body urinate more frequently than normal. This is in order clear
the body of water and cause the athlete to lose weight. Diuretics are most commonly used in
boxing, in order for the athlete to be classed in a lower weight. They then rehydrate and gain
weight to fight a lighter opponent. An example for use of diuretics in sport, Veronica
Campbell-Brown, Jamaican 200m sprinter was stripped of her titles after testing positive for
diuretics.
Overall, testing for drugs can assist in eliminating disadvantages to sober athletes. Any
athletes found to be using drugs are banned to make competition fair and competitive.