Sports and the Law Report

Hamilton Appeals Blood Doping Ban

American cyclist Tyler Hamilton has appealed his two year blood doping ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Congressional Steroid Tests Violate the Fourth Amendment?

Journalist Murray Chase of the New York Times wrote an interesting article earlier this week arguing that any Congressionallly imposed sports steroid testing could violate the 4th Amendment.  The article titled "Steroid Tests Ignore the 4th Amendment" take issue with recent congressional efforts to legislate steroid testing in baseball.  I, for one, agree with his position which is essentially this: that such a search (which would be deemed an adminstrative search in 4th Amendment terms) is only justified in the presence of a compelling interest such as public safety in the cases of commercial truck drivers, railroad engineers and airline pilots.  Otherwise, such testing can only been imposed by employers or by contract between the testing party and the individual to be tested.

WADA Athelete Committee Filled

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) has announced that it has appointed 13 members to its newly-formed Athlete Committee.

"Unstable Urine" Phenomenon Results in WADA Clarification

The WADA issued a clarification in its Nandrolone testing after emergence of the "unstable urine" phenonmenon.  Here is the release. 

Ban on Ephedra Struck Down

A federal court has struck down an FDA ban on the supplement Ephedra holding that the FDA was improperly considering the supplement a drug and not a food product.

MLB's Drug Policy

Here is a link to MLB's drug policy.

How Can Congress Subpoena Baseball Players to Testify About Steroids?

Click here to read a great article by Edward Lazarus of the Findlaw staff on Congress's ability to subpoena baseball players to testify before Congress on steroid use in baseball.