Ethics in sports medicine

doi:10.1136/bmj.b3898

Published 29 September 2009, doi:10.1136/bmj.b3898
Cite this as: BMJ 2009;339:b3898

Editorials

Ethics in sports medicine

Professional standards need to be clarified and acted on

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

Doctors and other healthcare professionals have been involvedin facilitating both legitimate and illegitimate performanceenhancement in sport.¹ ² The recent "bloodgate" affair in RugbyUnion shows that healthcare professionals can be involved inproducing fake injuries in situations where the apparent "injury"creates an advantage for the team.³

The incident happened last April at the semifinals of the EuropeanRugby Cup match between Harlequins and the eventual winnersLeinster. Normally in Rugby Union players cannot return to playonce they have been substituted except to replace a player whohas a "blood injury." A Harlequins player produced an apparentblood injury through the use of a fake blood capsule so thata specialist goal kicker could be brought back on to the fieldto try to secure victory in the last few minutes. At the behestof the head coach, the team physiotherapist had purchased fakeblood capsules in advance . . . [Full text of this article]

Søren Holm, professor of bioethics¹^,2, Michael McNamee, professor of applied ethics³

¹ Centre for Social Ethics and Policy, School of Law, University of Manchester, Manchester M13 9PL , ² Section for Medical Ethics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway, ³ Department of Philosophy, History and Law, School of Health Science, Swansea University, Swansea SA2 8PP

Correspondence to: S Holm soren.holm@manchester.ac.uk