Drugs in Sport: A Cure Worse Than the Disease?

That drugs are used in sport cannot be denied. However, that use must be qualified particularly with relevance to scientific fact rather than belief. The anti-doping movement has reacted in a manner that warrants criticism. It has introduced a standard of worldwide accusation, judgment, and sentencing; procedures that are reminiscent of the days of the Inquisition and witch hunts. This article looks at the inconsistencies in drug classifications, unacceptable sampling and analytical procedures, and violations of basic human rights demonstrated by the anti-doping movement. The question is posed as to whether it is better to protect innocents or have a large number of innocent athletes branded and ‘destroyed’ in a somewhat vain attempt to catch a few athletes who might be taking drugs, despite the likelihood of those drugs having no performance benefit other than restoring world-class athletes to their normal state of abnormally good health.