IOC: Stiffer penalties but potential amnesty for dopers!

Before that meet in Chiba, Japan, the President of the IOC, Jacques Rogge, discussed proposing stiff new measures to counter doping.

In society, or in this case sports, when penalties or laws become more harsh or more strict that is generally a red flag. If you read between the lines in the submitted articles below, it appears to me that the IOC, WADA and USADA are apparently losing the war on doping. I say that because penalties imposed by society or organizations are primarily nothing short of incentives to modify behavior. When these incentives become more harsh or more encompassing, it means the former incentives were not working.

Though the IOC will punish dopers more stringently they will lessen the suspensions and/or bans greatly if an athlete completely debriefs detailing his or her complete doping network which includes coaches, doctors, suppliers, manufacturers and individuals they know are doping as well. Here are some news articles about the proposed rule changes:

BBC News: [Link]
Swim News: [Link]
International Herald Tribune: [Link]

My take: Perhaps they need to start doing supplemental tests such as blood and hair rather than just urine? Though hair is controversial for some races, it could provide a preponderance of evidence needed to justify or clarify what sort of "sneaky" chemical is being used.

Hair testing info: Craig Medical Distribution: [Link]
Drug testing info: Wikipedia: [Link]

I am not looking forward to the day when gene doping, "Tommy John" surgeries, and the lengthening tendons by severing them becomes the undetectable norm.

Science News on Gene doping: [Link]
Wired Magazine Blog: Teenage Pitchers Volunteer for Tommy John Surgery: [Link]

The picture above is of disgraced Tour de France rider, Floyd Landis USA, who tested positive for artificially high testosterone levels after "winning" Le Tour. The picture comes from missingsaddle photostream at Flickr.com. Here is a direct link to the photo: [Link]