• Question: We are currently studying the use of drugs in sport; do you think it is okay for sportsmen and women to use less performance enhancing drugs if they are for an illness or for something like asthma?

    Asked by doctorwhomadperson to Davie, Gemma, James P, James V, Nuala on 22 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: James Pope

      James Pope answered on 22 Jun 2012:

      Hiya doctorwhomadperson

      It’s a great question, and there are lots of ways of looking at it. I think first and foremost, everyone should be able to play and enjoy sport, I certainly do. So if you have asthma or have to wear glasses, then I think that is just fine, it’s not cheating it’s allowing you to play.

      Famously, Scottish Skier Alain Baxter was disqualified from a bronze Winter Olympic medal because he had used a nasal inhaler to clear his nose. (http://news.bbc.co.uk/winterolympics2002/hi/english/alpine_skiing/newsid_1882000/1882870.stm). The UK version was fine under the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules, but the US version wasn’t. I certainly don’t think he was cheating, he was just unfortunate, did it give him an advantage? Probably not.

      But then there are cases were people use medical excuses to gain an benefit, the boxer Lamont Peterson, who failed a drugs test last month for taking a testosterone enhancing agent, because he claims he had too little http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/boxing/17987251 . Now I do see that as cheating, because it gives him a benefit over his fellow competitors, the lack of testosterone didn’t stop him competing.

      So, I guess in summary, if you are taking something for a short term medical condition, or something for a medical condition where it would prevent you taking part in any sport then it is fine, but if it’s to top you up or an excuse for an unfair advantage then it is cheating.

      I can imagine though, there are people who would disagree with me, and it would not be too hard to say they are wrong either.

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