The term “doping” is often used to describe an athlete who uses performance-enhancing drugs to gain an advantage over the competition. Mainly banned due to countless side effects that surpass their purpose, performance-enhancing drugs are foreign chemicals that change the way the body works naturally. Stem cell medicine, however, has become a controversial topic in the world of sports medicine because it is the first method that does not introduce foreign material into the body and also does not change the way the body naturally functions. As technology advances, the definition of what is considered cheating needs to be reevaluated. Stem cell treatment should not be classified along with harmful drugs such as anabolic steroids, stimulants, gene doping or peptide hormones. There is a lot of confusion behind the different types of "doping" when it comes to cell and DNA manipulation. The International Olympic Committee and WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency, have established a clear standard on what should be considered an illegal drug or an illegal performance-enhancing act; however they have not clearly stated why stem cells are part of this standard. Instead, both WADA and the International Olympic Committee have sanctioned all treatments involving genetic technology as unethical. Gene or cell doping is defined by these agencies as “the nontherapeutic use of genes, genetic elements and/or cells that have the ability to improve athletic performance.” What degree of improvement is considered cheating when it comes to the body's natural processes? These are the types of questions that need to be answered when dealing with these new medical discoveries. “The root of the difficulties facing the anti-doping campaign… middle of paper… a drug that promotes healing, enables natural bodily functions and has limited side effects could reduce cheating” in all areas of competitive sports and prolonging the careers of promising athletes. Works Cited Møller, Verner. The ethics of doping and anti-doping: redeeming the soul of sport? Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge, 2009. Print.Carr, Craig. Fairness and performance improvement in sport. Journal of Philosophy of Sport; 2008, vol. 35 Number 2, p.193-207, 15p. Premier of academic research. McCann, Michael Colon: sports medicine or cheating?” May 12, 2011. Web. May 24, 2011. Pennington, B. (2007, March 29). For athletes, the next fountain of youth? World Anti-Doping Code". World Anti-Doping Agency. 25 May2011.