# Blockchain for Doping Control Applications in Sports: A Conceptual Approach
## 4 SWOT Analysis  
SWOT analysis is a popular strategic planning and management tool applied in industry and academia to help the understanding of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats related to business project planning and competitive landscapes [90]. Recognizable by most business readers, it provides a simple structured approach to evaluate the strategic position of a project or organization, by identifying the internal assets (the inherent strengths and weaknesses) and comparing these to the external factors, defined as the opportunities and threats in the environment [90; 91]. When applied to information technology (IT) projects, SWOT may help in answering important strategic questions [91], such as: What do the project's stakeholders expect to achieve? How can the project be distinguished from the status quo? How will the project improve delivered services? How can it be assured that the IT strategy complements strategic organizational goals? In the context of this article, the SWOT formulation is applied to evaluate the perspectives of the specific blockchain framework proposed for the AD domain, as discussed hereafter. Strengths:  
Data Integrity, Immutability, Traceability, and Auditability: These strengths are listed together as they are the direct result and the most obvious strengths of the basic schemes implemented on any blockchain platform. Attempts to alter or tamper with validated data in the blocks are detected, and due to the distributed and hashed nature of sequential recordkeeping, are nearly impossible to achieve [1; 9]. The ledger is replicated in several nodes and can be accessed by the different members of the network; therefore, auditability is achieved, but with certain rules for access (not fully transparent as in permissionless blockchains) [1; 9; 10]. Data Quality: Considering that produced data are the result of carefully coded and consensually validated business processes, the data are considered high-quality. Blockchain data are consistent, complete, accurate, timely, and widely available [88]. Semi-Decentralized Governance: While the fully decentralized model of permissionless blockchains can be considered (with regard to data governance) a disadvantage, the semi-decentralized model of permissioned consortium blockchains is perceived as a strength for the scenarios where they are applied [13]. The concept of a shared governance model, where members of a consortium can establish powerful modes of democratic collaboration without losing control over the platform's rules and policies, is what makes them attractive to many industries [1; 9; 10]. It is also suggested that the semi-decentralized mode of data governance enhances the overall performance of the platform, compared to the fully centralized or fully decentralized options [13]. Privacy Protection: As discussed in previous sections, privacy protection can be implemented by different and combined schemes of cryptography. A benefit to users is that permissioned blockchains enable the possibility for more customized, individualized and fined-grained control over access to personal data [74; 83]. Efficiency and Integrity of Business Processes: The combination of peer-to-peer architecture, SCs, and consensus enables automated trust in networks where the participants may not fully trust each other [88]. It is possible to implement processes for the enforcement of contractual agreements and reconciliation of data, eliminating intermediaries and gaining efficiency compared to traditional centralized IT infrastructures [1; 9; 89; 82]. Because SCs are executed in different peer nodes with the same outputs, the integrity of processes is guaranteed [88]. Different Ledgers to Different Applications: One key feature of HLF and a strength for the AD scenario is the possibility to create multiple channels [14; 74], to address different business processes within the domain.