Mharky wrote:Question, why are drugs banned?
For a drug to make the banned list it needs to be deemed two of:
- Performance enhancing.
Potentially harmful to the athletes health.
Against the morals of sport.
The against the morals of sport bit is the one that sees drugs move on and off the banned list, caffeine for example.
The sad fact is that it is largely down to money. As Andypat points out, the suggestion that to excel at sport requires the taking of potentially harmful substances is not good for sponsors.
However, the potential for caffeine to end up on the banned list was also not good for sponsors. If an athlete could end up being banned for drinking a can of their favourite fizzy drink before the race, said fizzy drink manufacturer is not likely to put their millions into the event. Hence it is not on the banned list as it is not considered against the morals of sport.
Sport evokes strong positive emotions and sponsors (not just fizzy drinks manufacturers but also governments and the like) want to be associated with these emotions. I don't know what to think of Paula, but I imagine that Nike don't care whether she was doping or not. They have had years of positive association out of their sponsorship, some bad publicity years after the fact is neither here nor there for them.