German Athlete Protests Doping Witch Hunt

Trigger

Just (10/22/2013)read following article about a top female German athlete, i.e. Claudia Pechstein, titled “Scharfe Kritik an Sportrecht” (German language).

She sued the International Skating Union as well as the German Skating Association over their two year long suspension from competing.

She also initiated a petition criticizing agreements athletes are required to sign. Under these agreements athletes have abide by out of court judgements by sports organizations. Only by signing these agreements athletes are allowed to compete in prestigious national and international competitions. This petition was signed by a large number of fellow well-known German athletes.

Doping Accusation

Ms. Pechstein was suspended, because the doping police found suspiciously abnormal results in her blood. She claims it is the result of a hereditary ailment.

Strict Liability

The above article also points out that agreements by organizations like NADA (U.S. National Anti-Doping Agency, a prime witch hunter) require strict liability on part of the athletes and German organizations appear to follow in this respect. The above German article wrongly translated this as reversal of burden of proof, but this does not completely miss the point.

Wikipedia explains this term as follows: “A rule specifying strict liability makes a person legally responsible for the damage and loss caused by his or her acts and omissions regardless of culpability (including fault in criminal law terms, typically the presence of mens rea).”

Given the many problems with doping tests it is quite astonishing that they resort to such a drastic legal weapon against athletes. therefore, witch hunt is the right name for it. This reeks of the presumption of guilt.

The Doping Witch Hunt

I have previously written a number of blog posts on this subject and in particular about target no. 1 Lance Armstrong here, here, here, here and here. The last blog post is a more general discussion of the topic.

Lance Armstrong - A Pyrrhic Victory By The Anti Doping Crusaders

 Prior Blog Posts On This Subject

I wrote previously about Lance Armstrong (here, here) and Doping.

Armstrong Finally Confessed

Now so many people came out in the media to say what a miserable character Mr. Armstrong is after he confessed in public having taken performance enhancing drugs etc.

A Pyrrhic Victory By The Anti Doping Zealots

To summarize what I have written before the Anti Doping Crusaders had zeroed in and targeted this superstar of bicycling for many years. They were out there to set an example. Given the presumed widespread use of doping in professional bicycling and being targeted by anti doping zealots, I kind of understand Mr. Armstrong’s position of denial.

Anti Doping Is A Grand Delusion

Like Prohibition! Humans have always tried to improve their performance by whatever means in order to achieve their goals or to be more competitive. Humans don’t take it well when they are being told to change their lives by an authority.

We expect professional athletes to be flawless role models. We expect them to compete pure and untainted like Adam and Eve. We idealize them like the Noble Savage.

What Is Wrong With Doping?

Provocatively, I would say nothing as long as performance enhancing is done voluntary and by mutual consent of adults under the rule of law.

We all may very well one day benefit when athletes reasonably experiment with performance enhancement.

Human Bodies & Brains Will Go Far Beyond Biological Evolution

I expect tremendous changes coming to the human body and brain beginning in a few years as we continue our journey of unprecedented exponential scientific and technological advances. Human bodies and brains will soon be unrecognizable compared to what nature and biological evolution provided in the past.