Austria To Introduce 10 Year Prison Term For Doping In Sports

[Dr. Maserati]

I don't disagree with your carrots but the thread is specifically about jail terms for doping, so it is no real wonder that posts have not been more encompassing of solving the issue as a whole.

Agree - there have been many different discussions on different penalties and incentives to try and curb the problems.

One point I think needs highlighting - this is not a jail term or criminal conviction for doping, per se - it is a response to the fraudulent aspect of doping.
In Austria they already have laws governing the possession or selling of banned products - this amendment to an existing law on fraud now includes the use of PED's as a source of obtaining renumeration on a fraudulent basis.

 

[David Suro]

Good news.

Either let them all dope without controls or punishments or have the punishments be severe enough to be an real mind-bender.

I have long said lifetime bans from sport would be a good start. A decade in the slammer is just as good.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

How is it fraud when they're all on the juice anyway? ...The only people being fooled are those daft enough to believe there's anyone clean in the top echelon of pro sports.

John, you're the editor; you're not supposed to admit you believe that even if you think it! I'm as fed up as anyone, but it sounds like you need a vacation (holiday).

Seriously, I think this law really misses the mark. I've posted some of this many times, but will again:

• The dopers dilemma takes precedent over this. Just like capital or corporal punishment, it's not necessarily the severity of punishment that's a deterrent, as much as the certainty of it. If cheaters don't think they'll get caught, and their experience shows this to be true, you could have a 20 year minimum sentence, and it won't change much.

• This continues to focus on only part of the problem - the riders. What about the support? What about going after the doctors? Trainers? Coaches? Soigners? Why no concentration on the suppliers? We still rely almost entirely on the police to stop the supply rings, when the police feels up to it. Why concentrate all efforts only on the riders?

• This continues to enforce the omerta, as pointed out. With his rule what incentives are there for riders to wish to break the cycle of deceit? Jesus Manzano's confession helped directly lead to Puerto. If he faced a possible 10 year prison sentence, do you think he would have talked?

• As noted, where's the incentive? Where's the focus on education? To me, a group like BikePure is making small, but real strides in helping clean up the sport. Similar to Ross and Jonathan at Science of Sport. We need more people like this, not to have them ignored.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I feel the need to put some links up, so people know what I'm talking about:

BikePure.org

Article to the Doping Dilemma in Scientific American, by Michael Shermer. Here are the doping game theory graphs:

Ross and Jonathan's article on Science of Sport here.

Their related graph (bigger version on link).

 

[rata de sentina]

Ook! Ook!

....Quite.

 

[Greg Johnson]

How is it fraud when they're all on the juice anyway?

The only people being fooled are those daft enough to believe there's anyone clean in the top echelon of pro sports.

To those people, I have this bridge you might be interested in...

Ahh John, brings back memories of arguments in the Australian office

On the topic at hand, I think it's a fantastic move by the Austrians. It's more symbolic, than anything, as anyone willing to flaunt the rules in place can - as has been suggested - race under another nation's licence that has lesser penalties. Regardless, it sets a precedent that other nations can follow.

Sadly, I feel that unless these types of laws are unanimous across all nations there will always be loopholes. Unanimous laws across different jurisdictions can never happen for political reasons - to be seen as politically independent is far too important to the patriotic vote for candidates to sacrifice (plus, everyone has their own motives. However if we can get the majority of nations having comparable laws in place, then that's enough.

Efforts to make cheating difficult to accomplish and close loopholes are to be applauded, IMO.

Cheers
Greg Johnson