The head of the Continuing Education Unit at the College of Physical Education and Sports Sciences for Girls, University of Baghdad, Prof. Dr. Israa Fuad organized a training course for undergraduate students titled (The Legal Position of Using Sports Stimulants), in collaboration and coordination with two faculty members from the College of Education for Girls at the Iraqi University, specializing in criminal law both of Lect. Mohammed Asaad Waheeb and Asst. Lect. Reddam Azzawi Dawas, and the course focused on discussing three main topics. The first is the concept of stimulants from both legal and sports perspectives and the main factors leading to their use. The second about the most important damages arising from the use of sports stimulants and how to detect them in athletes. The third is about the criminalization of stimulants in terms of laws, leading to conclusions and recommendations. The course topics were presented by Dr. Israa, Dr. Mohammed, and Asst. Lect. Reddam. They clarified the concept of sports stimulants as defined by the International Athletics Federation, stating that it is the use of a substance or method that leads to an artificial increase in performance and physical and psychological fitness of the player, thus leading to an overall enhancement in their efficiency. Factors contributing to its widespread use include the media, easy availability of stimulant drugs, weak oversight over stimulant or narcotic drugs, lack of awareness, and the absence of deterrent laws.
They pointed out the main harms resulting from them, including addiction, psychological depression, hepatitis, stomach inflammation leading to ulcers, various neurological diseases, insomnia, hallucinations, diarrhea, nausea, loss of balance, heart and lung diseases, muscle weakness, skin rash, respiratory depression, and the use of the male hormone.
They also concluded that most laws pertaining to sports games lack criminal provisions, relying solely on administrative aspects. They recommended the need to activate provisions of the Iraqi Penal Code related to Articles (410, 411, 412, 413) which stipulate the punishment of those causing harm, assault, or prejudice to human life and physical safety, emphasizing the application of provisions of the Iraqi Anti-Narcotics Law No. (50) for the year 2017 related to combating drugs, regulating their use, and trafficking in them.
