Final Decision

The benefits of allowing genetic and drug therapies into accepted sports practices do not justify the potential for abuse and harm to athletes. It is important to make every effort to detect cheating athletes and to maintain a level playing field. American people, and all people around the world, are attracted to athletic competition because it epitomizes the potential of the human body and soul. There is a delicate "essence" that exists in physical accomplishment that givens meaning and importance to sports. By changing the chemicaland genetic foundation of the competitors, we risk loosing the connection that we experience when a momentous athletic feat is performed. We have an obligation - as competitors, as fans, and as human beings - to protect the spirit of competition and to appreciate the human imperfections that make athletic achievement so amazing.

In a perfect world, athletes could compete head-to-head with nothing more than training, experience, and perseverance. Fans could appreciate the phenomenal effort and competitors would be satisfied with "doing their best." Alas, this is not a perfect world. Even with strict enforcement of rules and regulations, the distinction between "supplementation" and "drug abuse" or "acceptable therapy" and "genetic manipulation" is hazy. Any future breakthroughs in technology will only further muttle the situation. As a result, is important that the rules evolve with the technology and serve only to protect the interests of athletic competition.