Charles Pierce at Slate offers a contrarian take on the doping scandal.
In discussing the possible use of THG by Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, he wonders what the problem is with using a substance that is not (yet) illegal, not (yet) forbidden by baseball, and not (yet) shown to be harmful. "How can an athlete be punished—except through the cluck-clucking of the moralists of sports radio—for taking something that is neither illegal nor specifically forbidden by the rules of the sport?"
But as Pierce notes, things might work out a little differently for international and Olympic athletes like Marion Jones. International rules, as promulgated by the World Anti-Doping Agency, prohibit specific substances, and they also include a catch-all prohibition of "related substances."
Thus, if it is determined that THG is a substance related to other banned substances, the doping cops can go back, test Marion's urine for THG, and retroactively strip medals.
The "related substances" clause has been a target of frequent criticism. It depends on similarity, but how much similarity is enough? How are athletes supposed to know?
The distinctions often aren't easy to see. Many cold medications contain pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). Sudafed is chemically similar to ephedrine, and (depending on dosage) has some similar performance-enhancing effects. Both pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are structurally similar to amphetamites. There are many related compounds, and it's tough to decide which ones should be banned and which shouldn't.
It's even tougher for athletes to know ahead of time which ones might later be deemed to be "related substances."
As a result of this confusion, the WADA has spent 2 years trying to come up with one huge list of every banned substance. (Sudafed, incidentally, is supposed to be taken off the list, but ephedrine left on.) And the word is that it will drop the "related substances" rule.
But the changes will be of no help to Marion if she tests positive for THG. Because the "related substances" rule was in effect at the time of her races, it will govern.
In discussing the possible use of THG by Barry Bonds and Jason Giambi, he wonders what the problem is with using a substance that is not (yet) illegal, not (yet) forbidden by baseball, and not (yet) shown to be harmful. "How can an athlete be punished—except through the cluck-clucking of the moralists of sports radio—for taking something that is neither illegal nor specifically forbidden by the rules of the sport?"
But as Pierce notes, things might work out a little differently for international and Olympic athletes like Marion Jones. International rules, as promulgated by the World Anti-Doping Agency, prohibit specific substances, and they also include a catch-all prohibition of "related substances."
Thus, if it is determined that THG is a substance related to other banned substances, the doping cops can go back, test Marion's urine for THG, and retroactively strip medals.
The "related substances" clause has been a target of frequent criticism. It depends on similarity, but how much similarity is enough? How are athletes supposed to know?
The distinctions often aren't easy to see. Many cold medications contain pseudoephedrine (Sudafed). Sudafed is chemically similar to ephedrine, and (depending on dosage) has some similar performance-enhancing effects. Both pseudoephedrine and ephedrine are structurally similar to amphetamites. There are many related compounds, and it's tough to decide which ones should be banned and which shouldn't.
It's even tougher for athletes to know ahead of time which ones might later be deemed to be "related substances."
As a result of this confusion, the WADA has spent 2 years trying to come up with one huge list of every banned substance. (Sudafed, incidentally, is supposed to be taken off the list, but ephedrine left on.) And the word is that it will drop the "related substances" rule.
But the changes will be of no help to Marion if she tests positive for THG. Because the "related substances" rule was in effect at the time of her races, it will govern.
posted by Ted at 12:43 PM
