Abstract:
The use of certain perfonnance enhancing substances and methods has been
defined as a major ethical breach by parties involved in the governance of highperfonnance
sport. As a result, elite athletes worldwide are subject to rules and
regulations set out in international and national anti-doping policies. Existing literature on
the development of policies such as the World Anti-Doping Code and The Canadian antiDoping
Program suggests a sport system in which athletes are rarely meaningfully
involved in policy development (Houlihan, 2004a). Additionally, it is suggested that this
lack of involvement is reflective of a similar lack of involvement in other areas of
governance concerning athletes' lives. The purpose ofthis thesis is to examine the history
and current state of athletes' involvement in the anti-doping policy process in Canada's
high-perfonnance sport system. It includes discussion and analysis of recently conducted
interviews with those involved in the policy process as well as an analysis of relevant
documents, including anti-doping policies. The findings demonstrate that Canadian
athletes have not been significantly involved in the creation of recently developed antidoping
policies and that a re-evaluation of current policies is necessary to more fully
recognize the reality of athletes' lives in Canada's high-perfonnance sport system and
their rights within that system.
