Gene Doping Threatens to Transform Sport

Gene Doping Threatens to Transform Sport(2002, May 30) Financial Times, by G. Dyer and F. Firn

This article speaks about the imminent applicaion of gene therapy, should such treatments be available for medical use. Very often this link is taken for granted, without much explanation of how it will take place. Of course, it is assmed that athletes will adopt any means to gain an advantage over their competitors, though this seems a little superficial.

Experts in this article suggest that genetics is far too complex to allow athletes to augment specific aspects of the athletic performance. Perhaps what is most interesting about this article is the polarisation of the debate and the meaningfulness of this discussion often relies upon the extent to which the scientist being asked to give opinion is prepared to make speculative claims about science. For all scientists, there is no doubt that this discussion is largely speculative. The disagreement takes place in relation to whether genetic science can deliver what it promises.