Man and superman

Doping, genetics, resources, abilities, hard work, diet, training - these are all some of the variables that factor into any great performance - athletic or non-athletic. The stakes however are a lot higher and far more important in the extremely competitive world of sports.

I have previously touched on this subject as part of the Olympics brouhaha but was reminded of the subject again when I came across Malcolm Gladwell's piece in the NewYorker on the same subject.

Gladwell's take is fairly similar to mine except however, in its tone, he almost seems to absolve the athletes of any wrong-doing in an attempt to enhance their performance (including Lance Armstrong). 

After all, genetics gifts a select few, but science can level the playing field for the rest.

Gladwell however fails to touch on the scores of other biases that can factor in and 'un-level' the playing the field. He talks of the Kenyan runners but fails to mention how they get little to no training and how they run bare-feet on a minimalist caloric supply. 

But despite its limitations, I agree with a lot of what Gladwell says - because over the years, the boundaries of right and wrong have indeed been blurred. As science advances, these questions will only become more and more relevant and widespread.

From the use of protein and hormonal supplements in sports to the use of memory and cognitive enhancements in other fields, there is a whole minefield of controversial subjects. People have yet to take seriously the effect of chemical supplements, vitamins, herbal supplements, memory enhancers, nutritional supplements, etc in academic pursuits like a spelling bee or a Maths and Science Olympiad; but the underlying principles are the same between these diverse fields. 

How much can you level the playing field and at what point should you give up? 

These are important questions that need to be thought about - from social, cultural, legal and scientific perspectives.