ocaine, which is derived from the coca plant, has a long history of use for gaining an athletic edge. The Incan culture of South America regularly used coca leaves to give them extra energy as they made their way through the high altitudes of the Andes Mountains. Incan runners who would sprint many miles between mountain towns to deliver important messages would carry purses filled with coca leaves to give them the energy and endurance needed to complete their job as quickly as possible.
In the modern age, cocaine may not be the drug that pops to mind when one thinks of performance-enhancing drugs, but some athletes mistakenly use it for just that purpose. For that reason, the drug is banned in both professional and amateur sports in order to safeguard the health of the athlete and the integrity of the sport. There have been plenty of top-notch professional athletes who have been suspended from their sport for using cocaine, including:
Dwight Gooden – major league baseball player
Martina Hinges – tennis player once ranked #1 in the world
Lawrence Taylor – NFL football player
Darryl Strawberry – major league baseball player