Louisa Wall: Time to talk turkey about coffee

Apparently the term "dope" comes from the Dutch word "dop", which referred to the use by Zulu warriors of an alcoholic drink made from fermented grape skins to boost their fighting ability.

Doping, or the practice of enhancing performance through artificial or foreign substances, has been made topical by George Gregan's assertion that caffeine has enhanced his performance by 7 per cent.

The World Anti-Doping Agency removed caffeine from the banned list last year. So, thank you George. It seems that you and many others have been or are abusing caffeine, so its ban will most likely be reinstated next year.

Maybe that is your plan? Seven per cent is a big increase at the elite level so, in a way, good on ya mate for exposing a practice that might be legal but not quite right.

Former test player David Campese said Gregan was foolish to make such comments because the halfback was a role model and kids looked on him as a hero. But if using caffeine is bad for your health, is legal but should not be, then George is being a role model.

The Aussies began experimenting with caffeine after the doping agency took it off the banned list, and released a fact sheet on the possible improvements in sport performance.

It warned against daily use, but said taking 6mg of caffeine per kilo of body weight one hour before competition would help athletes.

Determining whether a substance should be placed on the prohibited list is based on three criteria: potential to enhance sport performance, actual or potential risk to health and violation of the spirit of sport.

If two of these criteria are met, the substance is considered for inclusion on the prohibited list.

The documented benefits of caffeine are that it improves performance and endurance during prolonged, exhaustive exercise; it enhances short-term, high-intensity athletic performance, and it improves concentration, reduces fatigue and enhances alertness.

The documented possible negative reactions to caffeine are that it might cause tolerance or dependence, and that abrupt discontinuation could produce irritability, mood shifts, headache, drowsiness, or fatigue.

When I played sport I did not know about products such as No-Doz caffeine pills, but we did use carbo-shots (100 per cent glucose) at halftime when energy levels were waning, and some players used creatine and other training supplements.

The problem is that caffeine is inexpensive, readily available, medically quite safe, socially acceptable and, by most measures, legal.

The goal of sport drug-testing and education programmes is to ensure that sport is fair and inclusive, that sport does not harm participants in any way and that it encourages ethical behaviour.

Does it really matter?

Maybe we should ask the Crusaders.

From my assessment their success is very much centred on perfecting their game.

Caffeine, alone, in this instance would not - and could not - guarantee that.

And what would the recently retired netball coaching legend Lois Muir say, I wonder?

Probably that, like the game itself, it is a fashion statement of the 21st century; that the commercial aspects of sport today require players and teams to look for and capitalise on every and any advantage.

But I am sure she would say that the key success factor is not such material things but the connection between all the players on the court.

This was her invisible thread theory, that ensured the team performed as a single unit with a single purpose.

This legacy is not lost to New Zealand netball or New Zealand sport and I am sure Muir will continue to contribute to the development of Kiwi kids for years to come.

* Louisa Wall is a former New Zealand netball and rugby representative