Editorial

By Ask Vest Christiansen and John Gleaves

Dear colleagues. We did not succeed in getting the INDR September Newsletter out before the month was over. We will not tire you with redundant excuses on how September has been extraordinary busy for the two INDR directors, only say that while we are late; we do have important news and information to share with you in this newsletter.

First, and most importantly, we are proud to announce the 2017 INDR Conference. The conference takes place in Aarhus, Denmark on August 24 and 25, 2017 and the theme will be “Doping in sport, doping in society – lessons, themes, and connections.” Make sure, that you already now make note of the dates in your calendar.

In addition, you may regard this newsletter as the first call for papers! Abstracts should be between 150-300 words and address the conference theme. A website for abstract submission will soon be established. However, you might as well put on your thinking hat, and begin drafting your abstract.

The idea of the conference is to thematise how performance enhancement is more than just a matter for elite sport. Though research has often focused on doping practices in sport, recent scholarship has indicated how deeply rooted questions about doping and performance enhancement are to society as well. Perhaps doping is not just one branch of elite sport, which is just a one branch of human culture. Instead, performance enhancing-substance use and practices seems to be a connecting thread that runs throughout many of society’s branches. From fitness cultures to the desire to be “better than well” and extend human capacities in various careers and across the lifespan. At the same time, the moral, legal, and health concerns raised by humans employing enhancements exist in society as well as elite sport.

Given this, we are thrilled to announce that four scholars with a special insight in this topic has already confirmed their presence as keynote speakers at the conference:

-          Professor John Hoberman, University of Texas

-          Professor Sigmund Loland, The Norwegian School of Sport Sciences

-          Dr. Jason Mazanov, Editor in Chief of Performance Enhancement & Health

While we are awaiting confirmation from one additional keynote, these names should themselves be reason enough to sign up for the conference.

For those who have not already seen it, please check out the special issue of Performance Enhancement and Health that came out earlier this year. It has seven intriguing articles framed by the theme of our 2015 conference written by members of the network and an introductory by CEO Herman Ram of Anti-Doping (Dopingautoriteit), The Netherlands.

Also in this Newsletter is a commentary by John Gleaves explaining his decision to stay on the USA Cycling anti-doping committee. In our June 2016 editorial, we commented on how our colleague Paul Dimeo was being dismissed from the committee primarily due to misunderstandings caused by a misleading newspaper headline. Since then, quite a few people have approached John Gleaves to ask how he could stay on board, when his colleague had been unfairly sacked. Should not he stand up and leave, alongside his Scottish colleague and friend. John opted not to, and you can check out his reasoning in his commentary.

May we also draw your attention to this publication by Dr Jason Mazanov: Managing Drugs in Sport, which is brand new out of Routledge’s press.

In addition, there is the 5^th International Congress 'Sport, Doping & Society', which will be held in Madrid, 15-17 February 2017. 1

Finally, we wish to welcome five new INDR members:

-          Jesper Andreasson, Linnaeus University, Sweden

-          Matt Englar-Carlson, California State University Fullerton, USA

-          Francisco Javier Lopez, Frias, Penn State University, USA

-          Mark Johnson, Author, USA (see his latest book here)

-          Jules Woolf, Adelphi University, USA