Drug Testing for London 2012

The BBC reports that there will be 5,000 random drug tests conducted at the 2012 London Olympics to detect for banned substances, nearly half of the 11,000 athletes expected. The number of tests has risen in recent years, from over 3,600 tests at the 2004 Athens Olympics and nearly 4,800 tests in Beijing in 2008. 26 positive tests were discovered in Athens and 20 in Beijing, suggesting that athletes are either cleaning up or they are finding clever ways to get around the tests. The answer is probably a combination of the two. In The Olympic Games Effect I discuss athlete controveries, including the use of banned substances to enhance athletic performance. Athletes seeking advantage over competitors by using performancing enhancing substances are not unique to the Modern Olympics. There were athletes in the Ancient Greek world that used hallucinogens, wines, herbal compounds, and even ground rhinocerous testicles in the hope that these substances would give them an edge. Scientific testing did not exist in the Ancient Greek world, but if cheaters were discovered, they would be subjected to beatings, or fines, or both. They would also have to pay for a statue that lined the pathways leading to Olympic venues, inscribed with a description of what they did wrong. This was a visible way to shame the transgressor particularly since it was a permanent reminder of that athlete's character, or more accurately their character flaws, sending a powerful message at a time when virtue and honor were considered society's most important qualities. Today's drug tests, as imperfect as they are, help reinforce society's expectations that the Olympics are supposed to represent the very highest levels of athletic integrity. Any victories earned through the use of banned substances diminishes the athlete's accomplishments and forever places an asterisk next to their names and also tarnishes the reputation of the Olympics. Such performances are not authentic, and authenticity is one of the vital ingredients required to create a truly valuable brand.