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Explore the effects of low vs. high dose alcohol on aviator performance, ethical concerns, safety implications, and legal aspects. Discover the debate between FAI and WADA on the inclusion of alcohol in the forbidden drug list.
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Alcohol • World Anti Doping Agency – WADA • FAI intended to delete ALCOHOL from the forbidden Drug List • Juergen K Knueppel, MD • President FAI CIMP
Effects of Low Dose Alcohol (0.01 to 0.04 BAL)Psychologic Impact on Aviatior Performance // Potential Performance Enhancement • Improves subjective well-being & selfconfidence • Provides Stress Relaxation in sympathomimetic excitation; athletes may focus better on tasks • Reduction of tensions; has anxiolytic effect • A drink or two, to keep up the spirit: „Dutch Courage“
Effects of High Dose Alcohol (> 0.05 BAL)Psychologic Impact on Aviatior Performance // Potential Performance Enhancement • Increases agressiveness • Reduces attention • Reduces mental performance • Is against flight safety • Is a major factor in contributing to accidents
Letter from WADA to FAI • Requests comment from FAI to WADA! T: 08/ 13 • “Is Alcohol only a SAFETY ISSUE?“ • Issues involved: • Alcohol is clearly a safety issue ! • Many publications on the effects of Alcohol in the literature • Athletes fear competitors under the influence of Alcohol • Administration does not allow drunk driving and flying • Science: Clear prove of negative effects in the human body • Legal Issue: Driving/Flying under the influence of alcohol is a criminal act !
Important Aspects: • Ethics of Sports • Safety • Doping Issues (low dose) • Practicability • Legal Aspects
What to do? • Consider the special situation in FAI Airsports • Flight Safety • Doping Aspects • Cooperation with FAI Sport Commissions • Review FAI Policy vs. WADA Policy • Discuss Alternative Means
Results: • Safety is paramount • There is a low dose performance enhancement • Legally: • It is easy to test on the basis of WADA principles • Supranational legal consequences will be clear • With Alcohol being the No 1 Drug in the world it would be a problematic message to delete it for FAI Airsports • Unified Decision from EB and CPs
Quotations from FAI delegates: (1) • WADA-Program says:Anti-doping programs seek to preserve what is intrinsically valueable. • This intrinsic value is often referred to as “the spirit of sport“.... • Doping is fundamentally contrary to the spirit of sport.
Ethics Fair play Honesty Health Respect for Rules and Laws Respect for self and others „It is clear for me that consuming alcohol in such a way that significant traces are still in the bloodstream during competition may be a breach of several of these values.“ Quotations (2): Amongst the values mentioned as forming part of the „spirit of sport“ are things as:
“Therefore I think it would send entirely the wrong message to our community if the rules on Alcohol were to be liberalized (even if it were proven that Alcohol could not enhance performance) !“ “I do not think we should differentiate between the various air sports in this respect. Aviation of any sort and Alcohol do not mix! It´s not only a safety matter – it is a cultural issue. Quotations (3)
Max Bishop III: • Tolerance of inappropriate Alcohol use during air sport events is unethical, unhealthy, possibly illegal .... and a breach of selfrespect.
Review all ! • Dilemmas ? • Suggestions ? • Comments ? • Questions ? • Solutions ? • - Let us take time to consider all aspects -