Tacit premises and assumptions in anti-doping research

•The Anti-Doping Test Regime is based on two strongly interconnected but implausible or incorrect assumptions.•Assuming that Anti-Doping Organizations aim to effectively reduce doping is at least implausible.•Assuming that testing and sanctioning are appropriate to effectively reduce doping is definitely wrong.•Anti-doping strategies are largely ineffective, with development of a possibly effective anti-doping strategy highly implausible.

The development of the Anti-Doping Test Regime over the last few decades has been described as a process of increasing restrictions to athletes’ civil rights. This process is based on two strongly interconnected basic assumptions; that Anti-Doping Organizations (ADOs) really aim to effectively reduce doping and that testing and sanctioning are by principle appropriate to attain this goal. Scrutiny of the first assumptions shows that it is at least implausible. Scrutiny shows the second assumption is definitely wrong. Nevertheless, ADOs have succeeded in attracting increasing levels of resources and restrictions on athletes’ civil rights. A possible, but nevertheless implausible strategy to deal with this problem is sketched out.