ABSTRACT
One of the initial questions asked about the prospect of genetic manipulation in sport is whether it is conceptually different from drug use or other forms of doping. Even though genetic modification for sport has yet to be firmly realised as a practice of performance enhancement, and even though the technology has not yet been formally conceptualised by sporting authorities, it is already being treated as a form of doping. It is on this basis that genetic modification is currently being rejected by a number of international sporting organisations and becoming part of anti-doping policies. Most recently, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) have each written into their anti-doping codes a note about genetic modification, stipulating that its use is unacceptable, except when therapeutic. The IOC convened a working group that met in June 2001, and concluded the following:
Gene therapy holds great promise for all people including athletes competing in Olympic sports. We endorse the development and application of gene therapy for the prevention and treatment of human disease. However, we are aware that there is the potential for abuse of gene therapy medicines and we shall begin to establish procedures and state-of-the-art testing methods for identifying athletes who might misuse such technology. This will require investment in modern detection methods including antigen detection, gene chip and proteomic analysis which are now becoming available. We are confident that we shall be able to adequately monitor abuses and establish the procedures for doing so using ethically acceptable methods. We call upon other sports, medical and scientific organisations to endorse our position.
