Who guards the guardians?

Abstract

The scope of this study is to document and discuss the vulnerability of athletes in doping cases - a consequence of the lack of transparency of anti-doping science, the strict liability principle and sport's arbitration system which denies athletes the possibility to have their cases tried in a proper court. After a brief presentation of the EU Athletes' call for involvement and change, this study introduces the concept 'corrupt idealism' which facilitates the understanding of anti-doping authorities' credibility problem. This study shows the historical prerequisites for the evolvement of this problem and presents and discusses a couple of controversial cases which expose the uncertain and pseudo-despotic nature of the system. This study concludes that an independent body financed by the working athletes unions should be established to oversee the work of anti-doping authorities and be involved in the development and administration of the anti-doping regulations.