Olympic medallist Alison Sydor defends drug-free sports

In January, we spoke to University of Alberta research assistant Bryan Sluggett about doping in sports. 

He argued that doping is actually consistent with the values of elite sports, where athletes are encouraged to push the limits of their bodies and break barriers. 

"In fact, we could make the case that it doesn't really make sense to ban drugs anymore because this is the purpose of sport now, to break these barriers," Sluggett told Jim Brown. 

After she heard that interview, Olympic medallist Alison Sydor got in touch with us to offer a rebuttal. She argues that it's important for young athletes to know they can win medals and break barriers without having to put their health at risk by doping.

"If we allow doping in sport, it becomes more a competition of chemists and doctors. Who has the best chemist? Who has the best doctor? And I don't think anybody is going to say that that is what they would like to see sport become," says Sydor. 

Click the blue button above to listen to the full interview.