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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Diagnosis in track and field performances past the 1988 Ben Johnson doping scandal

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Beginning with the early 1960s, a lot of performance supporting effects have been integrated in the structure of track and field training, such as technical progress, theoretical knowledge of the training process, development of societies and medical steps, which among others include the forbidden use of steroids or other doping ‘techniques’. Since the integration of those effects took place quite fast, a logistic growth of world class performances concerning the years 1960–1988 can be observed in many disciplines especially if they were not far developed at the beginning of this period. Eight years (1989–1996) later, doping tests of world class athletes have spread (or should have spread) over the globe. The aim of this paper is to state a model for the complete time interval from 1960 to 1996 which allows a reduction of performances beginning with the year 1989. At the end it is tested statistically whether or not this reduction is significant. If so, its amount can be stated. If not, an anti-doping effect cannot be proven. In a very similar way it is investigated if a new performance supporting effect can be proven for men's 10000 m. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.