CCSP CCSP Sports Pharmacology & Doping Control Questions and Answers 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which analgesic mechanism do opioids use, and why are they regulated in sport?
- Mu-opioid receptor agonism masking pain and impairing judgment (Correct answer)
- COX-2 inhibition reducing inflammation
- GABA potentiation reducing anxiety
- Dopamine reuptake inhibition increasing alertness
Correct answer: Mu-opioid receptor agonism masking pain and impairing judgment
Opioids bind mu-receptors to reduce pain perception, but their use in competition raises health and safety concerns and some are prohibited in-competition.
Question 2: A CCSP practitioner discovers an athlete is using anabolic-androgenic steroids. The first mandatory action is to:
- Advise the athlete of health risks and report per applicable governing body rules (Correct answer)
- Immediately prescribe a tapering protocol
- Refer to a nutritionist
- Continue care without disclosure
Correct answer: Advise the athlete of health risks and report per applicable governing body rules
The practitioner has both an ethical duty to counsel the athlete and, depending on context, a reporting obligation under governing body regulations.
Question 3: Which supplement is most commonly contaminated with substances that can cause a positive drug test in competitive athletes?
- Prohormone-containing or poorly regulated muscle-building supplements (Correct answer)
- Vitamin C tablets
- Fish oil capsules
- Magnesium glycinate
Correct answer: Prohormone-containing or poorly regulated muscle-building supplements
Muscle-building and prohormone supplements frequently contain undisclosed anabolic agents that cause inadvertent doping violations.
Question 4: What is the legal status of caffeine under WADA rules for competitive athletes (as of 2025)?
- Not prohibited but monitored in the Monitoring Program (Correct answer)
- Completely prohibited in-competition
- Prohibited only out-of-competition
- Requires a TUE above 400 mg/day
Correct answer: Not prohibited but monitored in the Monitoring Program
Caffeine is currently on WADA's Monitoring Program, meaning it is not prohibited but data are collected to detect misuse patterns.
Question 5: A player tests positive for a prohibited substance claiming contamination from a supplement. The strict liability principle means:
- The athlete is responsible regardless of intent or knowledge (Correct answer)
- Intent must be proven for a sanction to apply
- The supplement manufacturer bears all liability
- The team physician is sanctioned instead
Correct answer: The athlete is responsible regardless of intent or knowledge
Strict liability in anti-doping means the presence of a prohibited substance triggers a violation regardless of how it entered the body.
Question 6: Human growth hormone (HGH) is prohibited in sport primarily because it:
- Promotes muscle hypertrophy, fat metabolism, and tissue repair providing performance advantages (Correct answer)
- Is exclusively used for pediatric growth disorders
- Only affects bone density with no performance effect
- Is permitted in therapeutic doses with a TUE
Correct answer: Promotes muscle hypertrophy, fat metabolism, and tissue repair providing performance advantages
HGH enhances lean mass, recovery, and fat utilization, giving athletes an unfair performance benefit, so it is prohibited at all times.
CCSP CCSP Sports Pharmacology & Doping Control Questions and Answers 2
Which analgesic mechanism do opioids use, and why are they regulated in sport?