Rob: Hello, I'm Rob…
Cath: And I'm Cath.
Rob: And this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. Today we're talking
about doping in sport.
Cath: And a new test that might prevent some athletes cheating at the 2012 Olympics
in London next year.
Rob: Ah yes, the Olympics. That's where the pressure is really on to do well but
some athletes use some unfair techniques to get an advantage. More on that in
a moment. But first Cath, what are you most looking forward to seeing at next
year's Olympics?
Cath: I'm really looking forward to the gymnastics. I like gymnastics a lot. And
maybe something like cycling, that's always good fun.
Rob: Well it should be a great event. But Cath, I wonder if you know when the first
modern Olympics was held? Was it in:
a) 1886
b) 1896
c) 1906
Cath: I'm going to go for 1906 Rob.
Rob: Are you sure?
Cath: No but that's what I'm going to go for!
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 2 of 6
Rob: OK, well, we'll see if you're right at the end of the programme. Now let's get
back to sport and some of the cheating that goes on. Athletes have been known
to take all sorts of cocktails of drugs in the hope of enhancing their
performance.
Cath: Enhancing – or improving their performance. And of course doing this gives
them an unfair advantage.
Rob: It does. It means their performance cannot be just judged on their physical
endurance. In other words, we're not just seeing their natural fitness because
other substances are helping them.
Cath: So this means not everyone is competing on a level playing field.
Rob: That's a good phrase! Yes, not everyone is playing by the same rules.
Cath: Of course athletes are tested for drugs and some are caught and banned from
taking part in a race.
Rob: That's true but there's one form of cheating called 'autologous blood doping'
that has been difficult to test for. And the BBC Science reporter Matt McGrath
can tell us more about this. See if you can hear what scientists have so far
failed to do…
Matt Mc Grath, BBC Science reporter
While scientists have developed tests for almost all forms of doping in sport, the one that has
caused them most trouble has been the practice of athletes storing and transfusing their own
blood. It increases the number of red blood cells and give a substantial boost to an athletes
endurance by allowing them to carry more oxygen. Scientists have failed to develop an
effective test.
Cath: Matt McGrath says scientists have developed tests for all sports but they have
failed to develop an effective test for autologous blood doping.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 3 of 6
Rob: Effective means a test that actually works. It's been causing scientist much
trouble – or problems – in trying to detect blood doping in athletes.
Cath: So blood doping is when athletes store and then transfuse their own blood.
Transfusing is when you move blood form one person to another but in this
case the blood is being put back in the same person. Why would someone do
that?
Rob: Well apparently it increases the red blood cells and that allows more oxygen to
be carried around the body. So it gives a substantial boost to an athlete's
endurance.
Cath: Substantial here means by a great amount. But Rob you mentioned earlier
there's now a test for this?
Rob: Well one is being developed. It compares the age of blood samples by looking
at the genetic component of red blood cells.
Cath: The genetic component. It sounds very scientific. But will it help catch any
cheats at next year's Olympics?
Rob: Well Professor David Cowan who will be running the anti-doping laboratory at
the Olympics hopes it will, if it's ready in time. What does he say the nature
of scientific research stops him doing?
Professor David Cowan, anti-doping laboratory
As a researcher we can never guarantee what we can deliver by a particular time, that's the
nature of scientific research. The progress is very exciting and we've put it another way round,
if you're an athlete be careful we may have a test in time.
Rob: So he says the nature of scientific research means he can't guarantee this new
test will be available at a particular time. It's not possible to promise an exact
completion date.
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 4 of 6
Cath: That's because scientific research is unpredictable. It doesn't always go to plan!
But he said the progress is very exciting.
Rob: Yes, he's confident it will be ready in time for the Olympics. So he's warning
athletes to be careful! This new test might catch you out.
Cath: Well I can understand there's a huge pressure to succeed and there must be a
great temptation to give yourself an extra boost as an athlete.
Rob: Yes.
Cath: So cheating is still going to happen in some form but maybe this new test
we've been hearing about will make it a little harder.
Rob: Let's hope so. And of course we mustn't forget it's only a small number of
athletes who are trying to cheat. OK Cath, I hope you haven't been cheating in
finding the answer to our question today!
Cath: No chance!
Rob: I asked you what year was the first modern Olympics held? Was it in:
a) 1886
b) 1896
c) 1906
Cath: And I said I thought it was 1906 but I'm not sure.
Rob: You're wrong. The actual answer is 1896. It took place in the original
birthplace of the Olympics, in Greece. The London Olympics in 2012 will be
the 30th summer Olympics. OK, well we're almost at the end of the
programme, so Cath could you please remind us of some of the vocabulary
we've heard in today's programme?
6 Minute English © bbclearningenglish.com 2011
Page 5 of 6
Cath: Of course! We had:
an advantage
performance
enhancing
endurance
doping
effective
transfuse
substantial
the nature of
Rob: Thanks Cath. We hope you've found today's programme interesting and don't
forget you can download this programme as a podcast. Well, it's time to go
now but we'll see you next time!
Both: Bye!
