Ethical Principles of the Global Business Standards Codex
Question:
Task: Evaluate the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) regulatory regime using three ethical principles of the Global Business Standards Codex?
Answer:
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) was founded in 1999 with the intention to harmonize, encourage, and monitor the fight against the sports. The foundation was commenced by the International Olympic Committee based in Canada. WADA is an international NGO whose objective is to take appropriate measure for harmonizing the anti-doping regulations in all sports and countries. It is chiefly involved in the amalgamation of important changes within doping patterns along with creating awareness of morality to an individual towards the competitive league. Its elementary actions are education, development of anti-doping capacities, scientific research and monitoring the World Anti Doping Code (Code). WADA released a document named World Anti-Doping Code, specifying anti-doping rules and regulations for all sports which should be complied by all sports stakeholders around the world. It is not bound by any border or sport as it works across all nations and athletes. All of such factors have been clearly stated in the report in connection with the Global Business Standard Codex (Alliez, 2012). An extensive range of standards like validation of the commitment by the governments against doping, and assisting testing programs across the world, are successfully incorporated by the agency.
Doping refers to the illegal use or consumption of substances or medical techniques by athletes to improve their stamina and enhance the performance. The prime purpose behind doping is to gain an advantage over the opponent, which is ethically unfair and illegal. They are usually consumed in either tablet form, injections or applied to the skin through gels or creams. There are five types of drugs that are classified as banned, out of which the most commonly used are stimulants and hormones. However, they are used with the purpose to improve performance, but they cause severe risk to the health of the athlete and also contravene the sports spirit.
There is a discourse in sports philosophy concerning sports ethics and morality in connection with doping. The WADA has released a list of banned substances and variety of related behaviors. Obtaining an artificial benefit through doping is evidently immoral as it leads to injustice, harming one's health, violating the rights of athletes. Against doping activity punishments are determined by Anti- Doping policy based on deterrence approach. The policy depends upon the detection after which the guilty athlete is punished in such a way that can deter other athletes from doping. The guilty athlete can be banned from a specific competition or specified time (up to lifetime also). A number of other punishments are also included like withholding financial provisions in some or the other way.
This agency encourages a set of standard behavioral conducts that provides the list of rules and regulations highlighting the ethical practices in a sports league. The code aims to restrict the immoral practices by enforcing the policies and regulations of various sports organizations (Wada, 2010). The agency is considered to strive the highest fairness with integrity due to these measures (Chan, 2014). The agency is well received because of its consistency and effectiveness. It is committed to conquer immorality present within sports practices and to safeguard the sports spirit of before the twentieth century ends. Common standardized measures adopted in all the programs provide fair and equal chance to every sports competitor. Its clear guidelines to athletes encourage fair game spirit to attain the achievements. Though this is provided with the fairness principle, still it has certain drawbacks.
In regard to the improvement in performances of sports, some models like the list of prohibited supplements or techniques are issued by the agency. The result of which was it indirectly assisted athletes to determine which supplement or techniques to be used. Every banned procedure is stated on the prohibited list in a written inventory form for athletes. Some of the products are mentioned just to distinguish the achievements that are covered in the tests, clearly not all the products on the list are harmful to individuals or capable of enhancing the performance (Nakamachi et al., 2012). The agency wishes to look after the best interests of the sports people, that is why provided the list. The agency wishes to assist individuals to follow the guidelines and stay aware of the listed prohibited substances or methods. With this, it wishes to support high morals and bringing more awareness to the society regarding the right and wrong. To ensure this, the agency with the optimum regard hails the principle from the Codex (Oliveira et al., 2008). This depicts the conviction that every sports person must be aware of these regulations and for the betterment of the society shall act in accordance with these guidelines. The agency puts in a lot of effort to provide awareness for every individual involved with sports organizations and permits them to opt the best ethical way to conduct. This is clearly specified in the principle.
There are various health risks involved in doping activity unfortunately of which many athletes are unaware of. Hence, it is the duty and responsibility of WADA agency to convey the instructions and information regarding its hazards and health risks to the individuals and other sports constituents. The agency has taken out new ways to convey the message to the public, i.e. by announcing at large events like the Olympic Games (Pitsch, 2009). By such clear stated communication by the agency, all athletes are well aware of the repercussion of doping. The program was created to notify every sports person and his/her escort about anti-doping information. It is the main organization that hands out the policies to sports organizations and public authorities (Rusmin and Brown, 2012). The high risks that are involved in doping are much of concern for each sportsperson. Business Global Standards Codex has set principles in such a way that it helps sportspersons in achieving their respective objectives without getting into any negative activity that could harm their health as well as image (WADA, 2010). It is the duty of an agency to safeguard the individual from following any unethical practice and welfare aspects. The agency portrays the information regarding the outcomes of doping in public. This also motivates sportspersons to lead ethical ways. The structure of WADA fosters regulating the sports spirit, enhancing physical performances, and mitigating health risks. These measures help the agency to advance with the conviction of eliminating the doping practice by involving governmental laws and additional supports (Shioda et al., 2012). The agency can reach the highest level of ethical spirit in sports, and to comply Codex along with its set of principles with the help of above mentioned worldwide programs.
Reference List
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