Germany to try and make doping in sport a crime and proposes jail term for those caught

Taking the fight to the cheats...

The never ending battle between the athletes who cheat by taking drugs and the authorities that try to catch them seems to ebb and flow like the tides. There will be a series of big busts that seem to suggest the forces of good are winning but then rarely a week goes by without a performance in some sport that makes you question: is that person clean? In a bid to make the punishment for doping more of a deterrent, the BBC are reporting that Germany is considering draconian new anti-doping laws. A draft law will be presented to ministers on Wednesday which could be presented to the German parliament in the spring of next year. Under the new law, a jail term of up to three years could be given to any athlete who is found to have doped. About 7,000 athletes are currently tested by Germany's national testers but the new law would also apply to any foreign athlete caught cheating on German soil. It is a very interesting idea which could pave the way for other nations to follow. One to watch...