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Never mind the dopers, what about the spies?

2008; Emerald Publishing Limited; Volume: 9; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1108/ijsms-09-03-2008-b002

2515-7841

Simon Chadwick,

Doping in Sports

If the dopers don't win, then the spies will. Great sport, eh? Last year was hardly the nadir of sporting ethics, but hopefully it will turn out have been watershed. I do not want revisit my observations (on commercial influences on doping and vice versa) from our most recent edition, but there do appear be some parallels between the doping scandals of recent years and the Formula 1 spying scandal in 2007. It seems apt (and timely), therefore, consider some of the issues surrounding 'Spygate', especially in motorsport special edition. From the top, here's what the BBC reported: received systematic flow of information from spy within rivals for nearly three months this year, the FIA has revealed. Drivers Fernando Alonso and Pedro de la Rosa were aware of the information. It was the possession of this 'highly sensitive' data that led the FIA fine McLaren 49.2m [pounds sterling] and deduct their Constructors' Championship points. The information came McLaren chief designer Mike Coughlan from chief mechanic Nigel (1) In subsequent twist, fell foul of counter accusation, with the BBC reporting: Ferrari have been accused of spying on Formula One rivals McLaren by former head of development Nigel Stepney. In the latest twist the 'spy-gate' saga, Stepney claims he received key information about McLaren's set-up. 'I got weight distribution, I got other aspects of various parts of their car, and I was Ferrari's employee at the time,' he told grandprix.com. (2) The parallels with doping? Well, for start, it is happening; some teams may be gaining an unfair advantage by doing it; and for the time being at least, getting away with it seems be proving difficult at time of heightened vigilance. Oh, and it's illegal. Or, is it only illegal if you actually get caught? My mind drifts the days when I started watching Formula 1, back in the mid 70s, when strange and revolutionary contraptions were produced by teams such as Tyrell (six wheels!), Brabham (a car with huge rear fan) and Lotus (the revolutionary Lotus 79 that resulted in the 'ground effect' era). All attracted significant attention, the latter leading spate of copycat designs. How could the other teams do this and why did all the cars on the 1979 starting grid look so much the same? Simple: team officials walked up and down the pit lane looking, making notes and in some cases taking pictures--you could even ask someone else take the pictures for you. Take look at some dictionary definitions of what spy is: a person who keeps close and secret on the actions and words of another or others; to discover or find out by observation or scrutiny; to search for or examine something closely or carefully; to be on the lookout; keep watch (3). In other words, 1970s F1 was populated by spies; indeed we've all been spies at some stage of our lives if we follow the definitions presented above. Formula 1 in the 21st century is apparently no different. Punish us all? So what has changed? Probably not that much. Many competitive sports people are willing do what is necessary compete on equal terms. …