In Light of Enhanced Games, World Aquatics Approves Bylaw Against ‘Enablers of Doped Sport’
World Aquatics on Tuesday passed a bylaw aimed to “protect sport from enablers of doped sport,” a clear broadside at the Enhanced Games.
Full text of the bylaw, approved at World Aquatics meet on Tuesday, is here.
It proposes ineligibility for “relevant persons” who, “actively supported or endorsed a sporting event or competition that embraces scientific enhancements that include the use of Prohibited Substances or Prohibited Methods (as those terms are defined in the Doping Control Rules) and/or the use of any illegal drug.” That includes participants, of course, but also support for participants, including “coach, trainer, manager, training partner, doctor or physiotherapist.”
Proposed penalties for such persons include being ineligible to be “accredited for and/or to participate (in any capacity)” at a World Aquatics event or to be employed, engaged or elected at World Aquatics at any time.
Application of the rule under the bylaw will be by the World Aquatics Bureau on a case-by-case basis, with appeals to the Court of Arbitration for sport. The bylaw includes the addendum that member federations may adopt similar policies.
“Those who enable doped sport are not welcome at World Aquatics or our events,” World Aquatics President Husain Al Musallam said in an accompanying statement. “This new Bylaw ensures that we can continue to protect the integrity of our competitions, the health and safety of our athletes, and the credibility of the global aquatics community.”
The Enhanced Games is not named in the bylaw, but the prospect of a systematized event aimed at cheating by World Aquatics standards is the impetus, for this and other statements by world governing bodies.
More on the Enhanced Games
