Introduction
The problem of using stimulants has been a very long-lasting concern for judges and lawyers in world sports. Some sportspeople have deliberately ignored the strict ban on doping. The demand for harsher measures has increased because of such cases. The previous anti-doping bans have all led to serious failures. Due to these two important reasons, the World Anti-Doping Agency implemented the new World Anti-Doping Code for 2015.
World Anti-Doping Regulations
The following measure has offered new and stricter rules that could possibly prevent future stimulant use in sports. Testing positive for doping three times will lead to a lifetime ban from sports. Coconspirators with the doping violations will also be harshly punished. Moreover, anti-doping agencies will have more rights for detailed investigations (Sato, 2013). These regulations have become more flexible, taking secondary figures of such violations into consideration.
It is important for the World Anti-Doping Agency to take firm control of how to enforce the Anti-Doping Code. It refers to banned substances, tests, sanctions, appeals, and investigation processes (Sato, 2013). All of its provisions are mandatory, according to the code’s main rule. Each anti-doping organization, sportsperson, or another individual must follow it. More than 600 organizations, committees, sports leagues, and other communities follow the code nowadays (Sato, 2013). This is why the code is so valuable and important in the field of sports.
Since its previous revision in 2009, there has been a large amount of doping-related cases in different kinds of sports. Lance Armstrong was previously known as a seven-time winner of the Tour de France. Unfortunately, he was banned for life and has lost his titles and achievements (Sato, 2013). Many Olympic medalists tested positive and were placed under investigation. The list of doping cases consists of sportspeople who take part in almost every activity.
Due to such violations, the majority of sports organizations have demanded stronger measures against doping. The International Olympic Committee has demanded the WADA to code bar any sportsperson who used stimulants from participating in the upcoming Olympic Games. In 2008, the IOC took a new measure against doping. It bans any athletes who were suspended for doping violations from taking part in the next event (Sato, 2013). Unfortunately, this measure was viewed by the Court of Arbitration for Sport as “invalid and unenforceable.” Nonetheless, WADA’s measure of prolonging the sanction by four years will prevent sportspeople from using stimulants.
The new code implemented by WADA also takes conspirators into consideration. Operacion Puerto and the Biogenesis case raised awareness of coconspirators in doping violations. The first case reported about a doctor giving performance enhancement drugs to athletes (Sato, 2013). The second one involved a Miami clinic providing professional baseball players with doping. The detailed investigations and extra information required by the new regulations of the WADA code will help review doping cases more accurately.
In spite of its multiple advantages, there are also some disadvantages as well. It expects national and international organizations to provide anti-doping investigation, sanctions, and testing. Kenya has reported that approximately 17 sportspeople are being banned by the International Association of Athletics Federations. The penalty was for using performance enhancement drugs (Sato, 2013). Unfortunately, the investigations and testing processes were very slow and vague. However, WADA does not have the right to sanction Kenya’s sports authorities or officials from other countries.
Conclusion
In conclusion, doping has been a very serious problem. Most past attempts at such bans were futile or unenforceable. Due to those cases, WADA has implemented a new code that takes conspirators into consideration and requires harsher testing, investigation, and sanctions. Unfortunately, they do not have the right to sanction sports authorities that belong to a specific country. This means that the implemented code is still very flawed.
Work Cited
Sato, Maho. “WADA Extends the First Doping Offense Ban to 4 Years”. The Regulatory Review. 2013