Good Sport Why Our Games Matter -- and how Doping Undermines Them

"Why are some technologies such as fiberglass vaulting poles and hinged skates accepted in sport while performance-enhancing drugs are forbidden? Yes, performance-enhancing drugs are against the rules, but the people who play and govern sport create those rules; rules can be changed. Should we level the playing field by allowing all competitors to use drugs that allow them to run faster or longer, leap higher, or lift more? In this provocative exploration of what draws us to sport as participants and spectators, Good Sport argues that the values and meanings embedded within our games provide the guidance we need to make difficult decisions about fairness and performance-enhancing technologies. Good Sport reveals what we care about in sport. It describes how the reckless use of biomedical enhancements undermines those values. Implicit in sport's history, rules and practices are values and meanings that provide a sturdy foundation for an ethics of sport that celebrates natural talents and dedication. The way a sport adapts to innovations in equipment, tactics and players makes visible its values and meanings. Performance-enhancing drugs distort the connection between natural talents, the dedication to perfect those talents, and success in sport. Through understanding the fundamental role of values and meanings, we can see not just what we champion in the athletic arena but more broadly what we value in human achievement"--