Doping In Sports - A Legal Perspective

This book handles the complex subject of Law, Medicine and Sport under the subject of doping in sport. It is noted that previous efforts to control doping by sports bodies did not succeed partly because of conflict of interest and political leanings of various countries. The coming into being of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has changed the landscape tremendously. A lot of investment has gone into efforts to control doping. The 2005 UNESCO Convention Against Doping in Sport has helped rope in public agencies in the fight against doping. It is disappointing that the game of 'cat and mouse' continues to be practiced with athletes seeking to use more sophisticated substances and methods. What remains to be tackled is commercialization of Sport which has upped the stakes in winning in sport. Another challenge is that of labeling of all medicines so that athletes can be warned in advance. Nevertheless, more and more countries are resorting to national legislation to supplement the efforts of WADA. Kenya legislated against doping in 2016. Many doping cases can now be dealt with locally, thereby reducing costs for athletes and increasing the surveillance.