Inside the dope head

The academic who has undertaken research for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA),though isn’t as harsh on first-time offenders,and believes that a life-ban would be a tad too cruel for these athletes. “One has to recognise the intense pressure on very young sportspersons who are both impressionable and can be pushed into falling to temptation. A life-ban will be too harsh,” he says,firmly believing that in the murky world of accusations and positive tests and thin excuses,prevention would be the best cure. “Innocence of intent is very rare amongst athletes who talk of contaminated supplements and are all well aware of the doping regulations. I wouldn’t buy any of the excuses. Education should stress on possible scenarios like public humiliation and loss of income,” he urges as deterrence.

The definition of culpable ‘performance enhancement’ depends on substances that provide unfair advantage and others which adversely affect athletes’ health,but Skinner admits the third criterion of those that violate the spirit of sports has remained nebulous and hugely ineffective in stopping athletes from crossing the threshold into guilty territory. Nevertheless,the biggest mistake that sports fans could commit is painting them all with the same brush. “Don’t judge the sport by a few athletes,” he warns,while admitting in business-like fashion that people’s perception of dope-cheating severely affect financial bottomlines,as American survey in baseball found out a few years ago. Still worse,though,was the shattering of faith of integrity – an unspoken contract between fan and athlete – when the sportsperson who had throughout claimed innocence,decides to own up one fine day,either cornered by legal hawks like in the case of Marion Jones or repents publicly like Andre Agassi in a fit of conscientiousness. “When iconic figures come out,the cynicism is very high,” Skinner says.

Making a distinction between Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) and Recreational Drugs (RD),the Australian believes that fans are more likely to be less angered by recklessness of the latter than by the blatant abuse of steroids and other power-pumpers,slyly hidden by masking agents. Sponsorships are in jeopardy either ways,and France is seriously contemplating criminalising dope-offences with their iconic cycling event – the picturesque Tour de France regularly shrouded in dope-dust. England,Italy and Germany are considering it as well.

Indian cricketers though found a surprising ally in Skinner who said that the Whereabouts Clause remained contentious,as the breach of privacy and movement were serious issues. He recalled the incidence of a Belgian cyclist being chased down by dope-police at the cremation of his son which caused international condemnation a few years ago. As for the Indian relay quartet which was flattened after half a dozen tested positive last month,Skinner believes that counselling was the only way out and urging them to regain the nation’s trust. The brain-mapper of sports-doping though,believes that the most vulnerable time when athletes will be tempted to take the short-cuts is right after injury when they see their peers forge ahead. “Support systems should step in straight away,and massive improvements in performances should be put under the scanner. “A millisecond here and there can be the difference between paycheque and no paycheque. Pressure rises when stakes go up. Athletes are very vulnerable,” he concludes.