Enhancing performance

Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition

The use of performance enhancing substances by athletes, under medical supervision, was the subject of a project by a St Bricin’s student.

Sinead O’Reilly conducted an investigation called ‘Spectator Safety and Science, Investigating Community Views on The Enhanced Games’.

“My project investigates the attitudes towards the Enhanced Games, to see how the attitudes differ from age, gender and involvement in sport. Sport plays an important role in physical and mental health.

“There are improvements in training methods, performance, analysis and equipment. With these advances have come new sporting events, such as the Enhanced Games, which allow athletes to openly use performance enhancing drugs,” Sinead explained.

The student observed that some people felt that the use of performance enhancers in sport was unfair and put athletes at risk, while others feel that it pushes the body to achieve what is humanly possible.

“What I have found is that younger participants of my survey were more open to it,” the young scientist concluded.