Doping

When athletes cheat by doping, they harm themselves, they harm their sport and they harm their fellow athletes who compete clean. And, they harm the individuals, communities and nations that have stood behind them, supporting them, motivating them and, in some ways, living through them.

The need to continue the fight against doping in sport remains real and significant. Doping is not going away – in fact it is becoming more sophisticated and it is more readily available to younger and younger athletes. We need to redouble our efforts and build on the progress we have made to date as we strive to level the playing field for all athletes.

We need to increase our efforts to educate young athletes about the harms and consequences of doping – not just at the high performance level, but right down into our high schools and sport development systems.

The CCES shares resources and information about medications, sport nutrition, and other topics with Canadian athletes through the Athlete Zone.  The CCES is also responsible for delivering the Canadian Anti-Doping Program, which protects athletes' rights to fair competition, and helps ensure the integrity of sport.   

Melia's Take: Doping

I'm Paul Melia, President and CEO of the CCES. I’m also a parent, coach, sports fan and player. This blog is written from all those perspectives…

Watching the Rio Opening Ceremonies

August 4, 2016

I love watching the Opening Ceremonies at the Olympic Games. It’s a spectacle like few others in sport. Athletes from countries large and small parade into the main stadium, perma-smiles etched on their faces, many skipping and hopping their way around the track, powered by pride and purpose.Read more

Conflict of interest in anti-doping

December 17, 2015

The FIFA bribery and corruption proceedings, the International Amateur Athletic Federation doping investigation and the Russian “doping scandal” have raised important questions regarding the role of governments, international sport federations (IFs), national anti-doping organizations (NADOs), the...Read more

Bittersweet victory

December 4, 2015

As new doping violations are confirmed against international athletes who medaled at the Toronto 2015 Pan American Games (TORONTO 2015), it’s a bittersweet victory for Team Canada. The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) congratulates Zack Chetrat, Alec Page and Rachel Hannah on...Read more

Getting the story straight

November 13, 2014Batter hemet lies on the ground at home base

When we read Cathal Kelly’s column, from the November 5, 2014 issue of The Globe and Mail, entitled “Kelly: It’s not about A-Rod being clean, it’s about him coming clean,” we were shocked at how naïve and out of touch with Canadians the basic premise of the article was. We understand it can be a...Read more

Is pro sport too soft on doping?

July 11, 2014Young baseball fans sit ready to catch a fly ball

Over 25 years ago, Ben Johnson tested positive for anabolic steroids at the Olympics in Seoul, Korea. He was once a hero in sport and overnight he became a villain. Contrast this with Major League Baseball (MLB) player Nelson Cruz’s doping violation last year. After his doping violation, it would...Read more

Closing the Gap

April 28, 2014Only dumbells do drugs

As I sit each night and watch the “war of attrition” known as the Stanley Cup Play-Offs, I am amazed at the endurance, strength and speed, not to mention courage of these NHL athletes. I also marvel at the similarly amazing feats of athleticism of pro basketball players and our own Toronto Raptors...Read more

CCES CEO Addresses World Conference on Doping in Sport

November 13, 2013WADA Conference Logo

This week, a few CCES staff members and I are at the World Conference on Doping in Sport in Johannesburg (http://wada2013.org). Below is a speech I just delivered during a plenary session:Read more

You can help the fight against doping in sport

November 5, 2013Runners make ready at the starting blocks

Over the past couple of years, a review of the World Anti-Doping Code has been undertaken involving extensive worldwide consultation with all stakeholders and signatories. The resulting proposed revisions to the Code will be ratified this November in South Africa. The newly revised Code will come...Read more

Supplements in the news…again

October 17, 2013Supplement powder spills out onto a table

Supplements, long the doping scourge of athletes looking for that extra edge, have made the headlines again. This time it is a product called "Craze" that has come under fire from the medical and scientific communities and the anti-doping movement...Read more

Is pro sport serious about clean sport?

July 11, 2013Young fans hope to catch a fly ball from the stands

The Biogenesis story linking Major League Baseball (MLB) players to the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) is heating up again. This simmering story, that will soon break and may expose over 20 MLB players, casts the spotlight on MLB but it also casts a shadow of sorts on a few other North...Read more

Lessons from Lance

January 23, 2013Water colour painting of a bicycle race

What, if anything, can we learn from Lance Armstrong’s confession to Oprah Winfrey last week? When it comes to doping in the sport of cycling, the answer is: nothing we didn’t already know. But, are there any lessons we can take from Lance’s public admission to Oprah that he did indeed dope all...Read more

Doing the wrong thing for the right reasons?

September 28, 2012Marathon runners close in on the finish line.

Recently, the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) asserted a number of anti-doping rule violations against Lance Armstrong and proposed the appropriate sanctions for these violations as provided for under the World Anti-Doping Code. Mr. Armstrong had the right to contest these assertions...Read more

See Also...

National School Survey on Drugs and Sport

(August 1993) A national survey of more than 16,000 Canadian students between the ages of 11 and 18 years on the issue of drugs and sport

Performance Enhancing Drugs Pose a Significant Health Risk for Athletes, Children and Youth (2011)

Final Report of the Task Force on the Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Football

Succeed Clean – performance enhancing drug outreach program – making an impact in schools

(Ottawa, Ontario – October 29, 2013) – The Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES), in partnership with the Waterloo Regional Police Service, the University of Waterloo, Wilfrid Laurier University...

Canadians favour tough doping penalties (Nanos Research - 2009)

Between November 7 and 10, 2009, Nanos Research conducted a random telephone survey of 1,005 Canadians 18 years and older. The CCES would like to thank Nanos Research for permission to publish this survey.