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# 8 Framing in action: a doping example

So far, you have been discussing doping generally, but now you will see further how framing can lead arguments in a certain direction. Activity 2 provided some context to exploring the topic; you will now extend the historical context further.

## Activity 8 Framing doping with a historical perspective

Allow about 15 minutes

Listen to this brief audio outline of some of the influences that led to the founding of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) – the agency who decides what substances and methods are ‘prohibited’.

How does this framing help to show why sport is different to other forms of cultural activities, such as the music industry or arts, in having regulation of performance-enhancing aids?

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Doping in sport
Transcript
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### Discussion

Competitive sport has unique national and cultural significance because it is partly connected to national identity. Nations compete against each other for success and prestige both in competition and in staging major events. Compare this to the music sector, which has very limited doping intervention because it doesn’t have as much national significance. Sport has notions of the ‘spirit of sport’ that was mentioned in Activities 5 and 7.

You might also consider who then influences WADA global policy. This might occur through nations with greater political capital who have their own policy agendas on illicit substances (e.g. the United States). This more detailed historical framing beyond a simple timeline throws up further questions about how it took so long for global collaboration on this issue.

Hopefully you will agree that this information provides very useful background context, which suggests that some historical framing of an issue, if kept relatively brief, can be useful near the start of any discussion.

Next, you will move on to thinking about the importance of the question that is being asked in a contemporary issue debate.

◄Contents►Next: 9 Assessing the question being asked

OpenLearn - Doping: a contemporary sports issue case study
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