We all enjoy watching national and international sports events. But most of us have no idea about an athlete’s journey to make it to these events. To become elite athletes and reach the top of their sport, children may leave their families and begin training extensively at a very early age. Most of … [Read more...]
Contact in Sports: Acceptable or criminal assault?
By voluntarily taking part in an activity, individuals implicitly consent to interactions with others that would otherwise be criminal assaults. A visitor to Earth would probably notice something odd about some of our favourite pastimes. Societies around the world consider some behaviour – of one … [Read more...]
Bench Press – Vol 40-3 Autism, Homeopathy and Custody
Two small boys with severe and profound autism spectrum disorder were at the centre of a custody dispute between their parents. The children have seen a myriad of medical and health care professionals. The father began giving the boys a series of homeopathic treatments after consulting with … [Read more...]
Sports Teams and Scandals
For as long as organized sport has been around, athletes have appeared to occupy a social class of their own. Held in the highest regard by their fans and with the ability to flaunt their ‘jock’ status, athletes have often been accused of not only receiving special treatment, but of acting entitled … [Read more...]
The CFL, Concussions, and a $200 Million Court Case
It was only a matter of time before the Canadian Football League (CFL) would be named in a concussion class action lawsuit. On the heels of the first CFL concussion lawsuit filed last year in The Supreme Court of British Columbia, a class action suit being filed last year against the National Hockey … [Read more...]
You Can’t Do or Say That: Constraining individual conduct in a public and commercial world
Greek triple-jumper, Voula Papachristou, was expelled from the 2012 London Olympic Games because of a disparaging and racist tweet she broadcast days before the Games. European soccer players making negative comments about officials on or off the field now face suspension. An 18-year-old Canadian … [Read more...]
Which Passport Should I Take to the Olympic Games?
The 2012 London Olympic Games are going to see a whole new level of anti-doping activity. The centrepiece of this activity is what is known as the Athlete Biological Passport (ABP). It has been in the works for some time and has already been used extensively in the sports of cycling and … [Read more...]