Doping is termed as using forbidden substances or methods in order to increase physical and/ or mental performance. The prohibition of doping should be assessed in two aspects are ethical and medical aspects. In ethical aspects, all athletes should partake in the competitions which reward and compare the ability, training of the athletes under equal conditions whereas in the medical aspects, the substances which are used may cause severe adverse effects and in some cases even irreversible damage in the short or long term. Gene doping is a form of gene modification similar to gene therapy, but rather than altering genes to treat or prevent an illness, they are changed to make normal genes perform differently. The non-therapeutic use of genes, genetic elements or cells that have the capability to enhance athletic performance is the most viable reason for gene doping.
Gene doping contains the insertions of artificial genes in patients. The artificial gene produces a suitable RNA which synthesizes protein. Even though gene therapies are developed for the treatment of disease and it is very likely that gene therapy can increase performance if used by healthy athletes. The possibility of detecting gene doping are (i) detection of blood doping in sports have failed because of the need for new analytical methods in the doping laboratory (ii) The hematological passport should be used within a global strategy and (iii) Subject-specific hematological changes can be determined sequentially to define reference ranges.
In the aspects of gene therapy, the main concern is the know and unknown health risks. The risks of gene doping are heart attack, paralysis and tear or fractures in the muscles. The sport specific warnings are athletes have right to benefit from gene therapy, World Anti-Doping Agency Warning (WADA) should have sanctions for gene doping and finally gene therapy used for enhancement of performance should be forbidden. The use of non-therapeutic gene transfer technologies are solely for improvement of performance that contains many risks regarding the health of athletes.