Book

Description

Doping or use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is one of sports major problems. Not everybody agrees to this allegation. Some argue that sports are unfair by nature due to talent, genetic and financial differences between athletes. As such, doping may work to increase fairness (and ‘uncertainty of outcome’) where use of the illegal substance may be a mean for the untalented, genetically unfit, or poor athlete. These persons suggest allowing (controlled) use of PEDs. Others argue that sport is about measuring talents, genetics, and financial differences, and that use of PEDs is unethical cheating. Some economists, among them me are less interested in the ethical conflict. Here, the idea is that both demand and supply may be adversely affected by free PEDs. The audience may be less interested in watching “medical championships” and parents may be less interested in sending their kids to train.