Potential for 'gene doping' starts to worry sports world

Baltimore Sun (via Seattle Times) ^ | 2/7/2002 | Michael Stroh

[jennyp]

BALTIMORE

[jennyp]

Genetic engineering will really throw the whole concept of "level playing field" for a loop. But, is the concept meaningless to begin with? Doesn't everyone have a combination of "good" & "bad" genetic features & predispositions to begin with? And hasn't the equipment - ice skates, skis, bobsleds, etc. - gotten better over time? Methinks a major rethink of the concept is coming.

[jennyp]

Olympics BUMP

[Djarum]

Gene therapy would even the playing field against athletes with better than average genetics.

[muir_redwoods]

I think I'm finally coming around to George Carlin's view. Lets stop all this drug testing and let them use any chemical they want. We'll get to see some speed freak break the two minute mile and some Russian get a medal for bench pressing a Buick. We may even have a new event, competitive crack smoking. It would certainly liven up an often boring two weeks

[lepton]

Gene therapy would even the playing field against athletes with better than average genetics.

What, exactly, does that mean?

[billybudd]

Hahahhahahahah. Good stuff. I agree. Let the athletes pump themselves up anyway they want to, if that's what they want. We're likely to get more entertainment.

[Djarum]

No athlete should have an unfair advantage, so why prohibit the other skiers from having Mantyranta's DNA mutation?

[jennyp]

It would certainly liven up an often boring two weeks

LOL, that's for sure! Just think what it would do to weightlifting. :-)

What is the "spiritual" empathetic feeling we get when we watch the Olympics? Are we secretly visualizing ourselves in there, competing? Or is it more indirect, where we're marvelling at what humans can do if they put their mind to it? (Or are we just hoping our country racks up more medals than those other countries?)

I guess for me it's a combination of all that, although I haven't actually watched the Olympics for several years.

[Sabertooth]

Scientists eventually discovered Mantyranta harbored a rare mutation in his DNA, a quirk that caused his body to crank out more red blood cells than the average athlete. The extra cells bathed his laboring muscles in oxygen, providing the boost he needed to glide past competitors.

Thanks for the article. Please put me on your ping list if you have one.

One question: How do we know that this gene is a mutation rather than a rare gene? Is this something Manyranta has that his parents don't? Is this a gene that no one else has?

Sorry, that was three questions. But if you have clarification, I'd be curious to see it.

[Post Toasties]

Seems like people with problems with aging and wasting diseases could benefit from this kind of therapy which rejuvenates muscles and other tissues.

[Uncle Sausage]

Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition!

[jennyp]

Please put me on your ping list if you have one.

I don't have a specific ping list, but I'll keep you in mind. I keep the search URL for -to:"crevo_list" among other terms in my Favorites list.

One question: How do we know that this gene is a mutation rather than a rare gene? Is this something Manyranta has that his parents don't? Is this a gene that no one else has?

I don't know. I'd assume it was a recent mutation (within the last 5,000 years), because if it had been around before civilization arrived, it would've quickly taken over the gene pool: It would make it easier to kill those nasty sabertooth tigers before they got to him! :-)

I'm surprised no creationist has piped up yet with the claim that everyone had Manyranta's allele before The Fall, and everyone else in the world has had their Manyranta gene degenerate due to sin.