Sport has also developed into a significant social institution, and to succeed in sport has become highly valued. This has placed pressure on athletes to become not only successful, but the best, and this has contributed to the escalation in the incidence of drug taking within the sporting community in recent years. Elite athletes are extremely disciplined, motivated individuals, and often perfectionists. The accolades and rewards available to champions in sports such as basketball, football, athletics and road cycling are enormous, and athletes usually have only a limited amount of time to reach the top of their sport. Athletes suffering injury problems can also be tempted to take substances that will aid the recovery process, enabling them to train hard.
Coaches can be another source of pressure.
A successful athlete is often associated with a successful coach, and their wins can result in rewards for the coach in the forms of publicity, new athletes wanting to train under them, and even endorsements. Many athletes claim they resorted to drug use because they believed their competitors were using drugs and that they would never be able to compete with any chance of success unless they too took drugs. Unless athletes have confidence in the testing process, this pressure will always be present. Expectations of family, friends, teammates and even spectators can create enormous pressure on an athlete to succeed. The win at all costs attitude to sport that characterises international sport can be a heavy burden for athletes to carry, particularly when their efforts are being beamed back live to family and friends at home.