Gene cheats (2000, Jan 15) New Scientist, by C. Aschwanden [link]
Christie Aschwanden provides a well-researched piece related to the possibile emergence of 'gene cheat'. This article is also re-produced on her own website and it discusses a ranger of examples where gene doping might appear. Ascwanden discusses Eero Maentyranta the genetic super-freak of the 1964 Winter Olympics. She also mentioned Jeffrey Leiden's work, who used an adenovirus to deliver the epo gene to mice and monkeys. The findings suggest a boost to the hematocrit levels of both species. Don Catlin is quoted for saying that detection will not be easy, which remains uncertain in the scientific world.
The article concludes with a quote from Charles Yesalis, who notes that it is unlikely that anti-doping testers will be able to keep up with the users. This same concern has been around for many years, which seems a good reason to re-question the value of the anti-doping strategy. Perhaps the re-conceptualisation of doping would yield a preferable situation in competitive sport. If the interest is to protect athletes, then why not make it legal?