The Role of Legal in Combating Doping

The use of doping substances constitutes a criminal offense under the provisions of the International Anti-Doping Code issued by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The rationale for criminalization lies in the fact that the use of such substances represents a violation of the principles of justice and integrity, which are among the most fundamental foundations of sports competitions. Once these principles are undermined, this results in an infringement of athletes’ sporting, health, and educational human rights. The consumption of doping substances leads to serious health damage and may cause addiction among athletes. Consequently, some states have criminalized the use of such substances, such as Belgium, which enacted in 1965 the first special criminal law prohibiting the use of doping substances in the sports field. Other states have sufficed to incorporate the International Anti-Doping Code into their domestic legal systems in fulfillment of their international obligations, as states party to the international convention are required, upon ratification by the competent authority, to make it part of their internal legal order           .

This study aims to highlight the importance of legal and medical tools in detecting perpetrators of doping offenses and in limiting their occurrence. It also seeks to clarify the general and specific foundations for combating and criminalizing doping, as well as to demonstrate the role of legal regulation governing this offense in protecting health-related and educational human rights.