If you could tweak your genes to excel in sports, would you? It may seem like science fiction but it is a question athletes are actually confronting.
Within the past decade, scientists have made huge strides in genetic research, developing new medical treatments like gene therapy to help those suffering from genetic problems. But these advances in gene-based technologies have created a newfound worry in sports doping, gene doping.
More than ever, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is beefing up its fight against cheaters, determined to catch those who use performance-enhancing drugs. At the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics, WADA administered more than 4500 tests, a 25 per cent increase from the 2004 Athens games.
Furthermore recent developments in technology now allow scientists to test athletes to see whether they are predisposed to a particular sport. In doing so, scientists can determine whether a person excels at endurance or power sports. These tests are available commercially for just a few hundred dollars.
