Madhav Ahuja, B.A. LLB(H), Amity Law School Delhi GGSIPU; And LLM In Sports Law, Nottingham Trent University
ABSTRACT
Fairness is the fundamental principle governing professional sports. Using performance-enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids and human growth hormones not only hinders the level playing field but also places the health of athletes at risk. Over the last few decades, the sporting world has witnessed a tremendous rise in doping cases. The World Anti-Doping Agency, or WADA, is the regulatory body entrusted to keep a check on such transgressions. WADA has enacted several rules and regulations to tackle the threat of doping. However, the success of these regulations is contentious, as there has been very little reduction in the cases of doping. Even though the intention of the policies is admirable, the way they are implemented is dangerous. The policies have been subject to widespread condemnation for their exploitative effects. This article will investigate the rules and regulations of WADA and their impact on the human rights of athletes. It shall examine the WADA Code along with the human rights framework of the European Union. This paper aims to ascertain whether there is a need to amend the policies in place to make them coincide with fundamental rights.
Keywords: Sports Law, Doping, Human Rights, Lex Sportiva, Sports Regulation, WADA
