“Let Them Do Drugs,” A Commentary on Random Efforts at Shot Blocking in the Sports Drug Game Article
Date of Publication:
Recommended Citation
Darryl Wilson, “Let Them Do Drugs,” A Commentary on Random Efforts at Shot Blocking in the Sports Drug Game, 8 Fla. Coastal L. Rev. 53 (2006)Clicking on the button will copy the full recommended citation.
Performance enhancing supplements are a part of most people's everyday life whether it be coffee, cigarettes, Coke, or something "good for you" in a non-pharmaceutical sense of the term. No where is performance enhancement more sought after than in competitive athletics. This article reviews the historical background of performance enhancements and steroid use in sports. It then analyzes the unnecessarily unwieldy assortment of administrative bodies charged with testing, regulation, and disciplining policy offenders. A look at domestic legislative responses follows, along with a review of the disparate court and administrative decisions rendered in this area from both domestic and international bodies. Next, this article will look at some of the practical implications of these decisions to determine if the goal of ridding sports of these enhancements is truly desirable, remotely realistic and reasonably furthered by the actions of the decisions rendered. While some tangible suggestions on how the system can be reformed are offered, they also consider the prospects of simply changing the rewards available for those found to use unauthorized drugs instead of the ineffective approach of instituting after the fact bans and making examples of certain athletes. Without a concerted effort by more unified domestic and international bodies in conjunction with actions by existing or new governmental authorities there really is no hope for stopping illicit drug usage.
