Here’s my biggest take away from the reporting I’ve seen: UK Sport asked WADA to clarify if what they wanted to do was legal, WADA said it was legal. Now, they may have not been fully honest to WADA, but WADA said the substance in question was legal under it’s laws, so...
There are clearly multiple ethics issues here, as well as a debate around the substance in question. Plus it continues the argument about technology/science in sports, and the disparity between rich and poor countries.
Let’s not pretend that every country isn’t developing dietary, medical, and technological advantages for their athletes though.
I am definitely disgusted by the way UK Sport handled this, and that WADA never really seemed to investigate the issue further after London 2012. This makes me question WADA even further, as yet another scandal has undermined their ability to keep sport clean. I am definitely worried about the health of athletes who tried this substance. This only adds to the compounding issue of athlete abuse around the world. Plus, it sets a dangerous precedent for countries to continue to research into questionable methods of helping their athletes gain an edge.