1. Simplify the list of prohibited substances
The worst thing about anti-doping is that it is unnecessarily complex. That is because at the moment there is not always the evidence to justify the prohibition of every treatment on the list – we don’t know for sure that they really do enhance performance.
Some asthma treatments, for example, should be allowed, full stop. Then all the other drugs should be clearly labelled in pharmacies as banned – something that already happens in France.
2. Stop preventive exemptions
These are often an obvious method of bending the rules. If an athlete suffers from severe allergic reactions, say to bee stings, they get a TUE, issued in advance, to use an EpiPen. The same goes for oral cortico-steroid treatments, which prevent very severe asthma attacks.
In competition, if the athlete doesn’t have an attack, they are not allowed to take the pills. But they can do so immediately after competition, to help with recovery, without breaking rules. Because who can prove they haven’t had an attack?