Despite all the problems with drug testing, Wadler says it should never be abandoned. But Yesalis says current drug testing programs don't work. He contends that drug testing programs have not reduced drug use in sport and that major sports organizations support testing only for public relations reasons. Andrew Pipe, MD, chair of the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, sees a very different message in the recent doping scandals. Flaws in Antidoping Policies Current doping policies have failed to address complex issues, such as separating cheaters from those who have a legitimate need for or have unknowingly ingested a banned drug, according to Wadler.
Drug testing is a surrogate for reading somebody's mind.
The trip from the mind to the urine beaker is treacherous. National laws that conflict with rules set by international sports governing bodies. Failure to revise banned-substance lists often enough to keep pace with what athletes are using. This approach would address the conflict of interest that sports organizations have, Wadler says. Because sports organizations have a large financial stake in the success of their athletes, they should not approve their own drug testing labs or test their own athletes.