Chemically-enhanced athletes

When I read this:

The International Olympic Committee has stripped sprinter Marion Jones of her five 2000 Olympic medals after she admitted taking banned substances.

The American athlete's results dating back to September 2000 were erased last month by the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).

it got me wondering yet again if the threat of retroactive punishment would be enough to put a dent in what looks like rampant doping in any number of sports (cycling being only the most prominent and egregious). Perhaps elite athletes are so obsessed with winning in the here and now that they would pay no heed to the possibility of future penalties. Nonetheless, it seems to me that were there many more cases like Jones', the impact might be significant -- and especially if sponsors begin to demand millions in restitution and damages. Getting the word out that tests are getting more sophisticated by the year might also act as a deterrent, the upshot being that you might get away with doping for a while, but eventual detection would be inevitable.

Posted by David on December 12, 2007 9:37 AM