How can professional leagues implement gene enchancement into sports while keeping a balance among athletes?
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
The year is 2050, and genetic enchancement is now commonplace in society. People can currently opt to improve their bodies through the form of gene packages. These are geared towards increasing certain traits, such as strength, speed, hand-eye coordination, eyesight, etc, by manipulating certain genes in their biological makeup. An individual can pay for one package, or several to be implemented incrementally, with expense and quality being varied.
These changes don't take affect immediately, as the body needs time to adjust to these enchancements. It can take a period of five years for the results of the gene therapy to take place in a person's body. This creates a problem when it comes to sports, as you would have certain people adapting to the changes quicker than others, or benefit from simply having had more enchancements than others, or having paid for higher quality enchancement. This can lead to an unbalanced playing field in various sports, like football, boxing, basketball, and others.
Does the situation as it stands leads to imbalances among players, creating unfair advantages? How can leagues implement genetic enchancement in a way that prevents this?
reality-check genetics
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
The year is 2050, and genetic enchancement is now commonplace in society. People can currently opt to improve their bodies through the form of gene packages. These are geared towards increasing certain traits, such as strength, speed, hand-eye coordination, eyesight, etc, by manipulating certain genes in their biological makeup. An individual can pay for one package, or several to be implemented incrementally, with expense and quality being varied.
These changes don't take affect immediately, as the body needs time to adjust to these enchancements. It can take a period of five years for the results of the gene therapy to take place in a person's body. This creates a problem when it comes to sports, as you would have certain people adapting to the changes quicker than others, or benefit from simply having had more enchancements than others, or having paid for higher quality enchancement. This can lead to an unbalanced playing field in various sports, like football, boxing, basketball, and others.
Does the situation as it stands leads to imbalances among players, creating unfair advantages? How can leagues implement genetic enchancement in a way that prevents this?
reality-check genetics
1
"an equal playing field" is problematic because we do not really know what is it supposed to mean now. For some, equal means best wins no matter how he got there (cycling). For others, best in specific category wins (weight categories in box). Sometimes, some categories are banned outright (people n doping). It'll be a level field if you want people in your world think it's level, whatever that is supposed to mean.
– Mołot
Dec 3 at 22:39
"How can you implement gene enchancement into professional leagues " - it is a question to you - you explained enhancement of people, how can it be applied for a league, even leaving alone any equality? What do you mean?
– Gangnus
Dec 3 at 22:42
Bear in mind that, fundamentally, you can't. The moment you do, your sport becomes one of who-can-pay-for-the-best-genes and not who-has-trained-themselves-the-best. No sport caring about anything but money would ever permit this, even if legal. (Now, whether or not any sport cares about anything other than money... that's a different question.)
– JBH
Dec 4 at 6:18
I think Money and Ethics would play more of a role then "Balance"
– CaffeineAddiction
Dec 4 at 8:26
add a comment |
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
up vote
8
down vote
favorite
The year is 2050, and genetic enchancement is now commonplace in society. People can currently opt to improve their bodies through the form of gene packages. These are geared towards increasing certain traits, such as strength, speed, hand-eye coordination, eyesight, etc, by manipulating certain genes in their biological makeup. An individual can pay for one package, or several to be implemented incrementally, with expense and quality being varied.
These changes don't take affect immediately, as the body needs time to adjust to these enchancements. It can take a period of five years for the results of the gene therapy to take place in a person's body. This creates a problem when it comes to sports, as you would have certain people adapting to the changes quicker than others, or benefit from simply having had more enchancements than others, or having paid for higher quality enchancement. This can lead to an unbalanced playing field in various sports, like football, boxing, basketball, and others.
Does the situation as it stands leads to imbalances among players, creating unfair advantages? How can leagues implement genetic enchancement in a way that prevents this?
reality-check genetics
The year is 2050, and genetic enchancement is now commonplace in society. People can currently opt to improve their bodies through the form of gene packages. These are geared towards increasing certain traits, such as strength, speed, hand-eye coordination, eyesight, etc, by manipulating certain genes in their biological makeup. An individual can pay for one package, or several to be implemented incrementally, with expense and quality being varied.
These changes don't take affect immediately, as the body needs time to adjust to these enchancements. It can take a period of five years for the results of the gene therapy to take place in a person's body. This creates a problem when it comes to sports, as you would have certain people adapting to the changes quicker than others, or benefit from simply having had more enchancements than others, or having paid for higher quality enchancement. This can lead to an unbalanced playing field in various sports, like football, boxing, basketball, and others.
Does the situation as it stands leads to imbalances among players, creating unfair advantages? How can leagues implement genetic enchancement in a way that prevents this?
reality-check genetics
reality-check genetics
edited Dec 4 at 1:27
Renan
41.5k1195212
41.5k1195212
asked Dec 3 at 22:33
Incognito
4,65864465
4,65864465
1
"an equal playing field" is problematic because we do not really know what is it supposed to mean now. For some, equal means best wins no matter how he got there (cycling). For others, best in specific category wins (weight categories in box). Sometimes, some categories are banned outright (people n doping). It'll be a level field if you want people in your world think it's level, whatever that is supposed to mean.
– Mołot
Dec 3 at 22:39
"How can you implement gene enchancement into professional leagues " - it is a question to you - you explained enhancement of people, how can it be applied for a league, even leaving alone any equality? What do you mean?
– Gangnus
Dec 3 at 22:42
Bear in mind that, fundamentally, you can't. The moment you do, your sport becomes one of who-can-pay-for-the-best-genes and not who-has-trained-themselves-the-best. No sport caring about anything but money would ever permit this, even if legal. (Now, whether or not any sport cares about anything other than money... that's a different question.)
– JBH
Dec 4 at 6:18
I think Money and Ethics would play more of a role then "Balance"
– CaffeineAddiction
Dec 4 at 8:26
add a comment |
1
"an equal playing field" is problematic because we do not really know what is it supposed to mean now. For some, equal means best wins no matter how he got there (cycling). For others, best in specific category wins (weight categories in box). Sometimes, some categories are banned outright (people n doping). It'll be a level field if you want people in your world think it's level, whatever that is supposed to mean.
– Mołot
Dec 3 at 22:39
"How can you implement gene enchancement into professional leagues " - it is a question to you - you explained enhancement of people, how can it be applied for a league, even leaving alone any equality? What do you mean?
– Gangnus
Dec 3 at 22:42
Bear in mind that, fundamentally, you can't. The moment you do, your sport becomes one of who-can-pay-for-the-best-genes and not who-has-trained-themselves-the-best. No sport caring about anything but money would ever permit this, even if legal. (Now, whether or not any sport cares about anything other than money... that's a different question.)
– JBH
Dec 4 at 6:18
I think Money and Ethics would play more of a role then "Balance"
– CaffeineAddiction
Dec 4 at 8:26
1
1
"an equal playing field" is problematic because we do not really know what is it supposed to mean now. For some, equal means best wins no matter how he got there (cycling). For others, best in specific category wins (weight categories in box). Sometimes, some categories are banned outright (people n doping). It'll be a level field if you want people in your world think it's level, whatever that is supposed to mean.
– Mołot
Dec 3 at 22:39
"an equal playing field" is problematic because we do not really know what is it supposed to mean now. For some, equal means best wins no matter how he got there (cycling). For others, best in specific category wins (weight categories in box). Sometimes, some categories are banned outright (people n doping). It'll be a level field if you want people in your world think it's level, whatever that is supposed to mean.
– Mołot
Dec 3 at 22:39
"How can you implement gene enchancement into professional leagues " - it is a question to you - you explained enhancement of people, how can it be applied for a league, even leaving alone any equality? What do you mean?
– Gangnus
Dec 3 at 22:42
"How can you implement gene enchancement into professional leagues " - it is a question to you - you explained enhancement of people, how can it be applied for a league, even leaving alone any equality? What do you mean?
– Gangnus
Dec 3 at 22:42
Bear in mind that, fundamentally, you can't. The moment you do, your sport becomes one of who-can-pay-for-the-best-genes and not who-has-trained-themselves-the-best. No sport caring about anything but money would ever permit this, even if legal. (Now, whether or not any sport cares about anything other than money... that's a different question.)
– JBH
Dec 4 at 6:18
Bear in mind that, fundamentally, you can't. The moment you do, your sport becomes one of who-can-pay-for-the-best-genes and not who-has-trained-themselves-the-best. No sport caring about anything but money would ever permit this, even if legal. (Now, whether or not any sport cares about anything other than money... that's a different question.)
– JBH
Dec 4 at 6:18
I think Money and Ethics would play more of a role then "Balance"
– CaffeineAddiction
Dec 4 at 8:26
I think Money and Ethics would play more of a role then "Balance"
– CaffeineAddiction
Dec 4 at 8:26
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
up vote
10
down vote
Take lessons from the auto-racing industry. Auto-racing is an inherently technologically driven sport. Your 6 year old Camry will not compete with a modern stock car or F-1 car... period.
The first thing you'll notice has happened in auto-racing is that every auto sport is carefully tailored with a specific set of rules stipulating what is allowed. There are a handful of "unlimited" classes, such as those we find for land-speed records, but they are the exception to the rule.
Each class will have to adapt as new abilities come to light. F-1 ran through a phase like this recently. It had to add additional rules regarding what cars could do because the manufacturers all agreed that it was getting too expensive to win.
You'll also see rules placed on how you can use things. F-1 currently permits some very limited regenerative braking. You are only allowed to use it to pass someone. Why? Because passing makes the sport more exciting (more revenue for the races), and because it was found that was a decent way to limit the new technology such that driver skill still mattered.
You see these things in other sports (weight classes or gender classes, for instance), but auto-sports is so wed to technology that it provides a great set of examples for what to do once other sports become dominated by a technology.
1
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ifUsing("editor", function () {
return StackExchange.using("mathjaxEditing", function () {
StackExchange.MarkdownEditor.creationCallbacks.add(function (editor, postfix) {
StackExchange.mathjaxEditing.prepareWmdForMathJax(editor, postfix, [["$", "$"], ["\\(","\\)"]]);
});
});
}, "mathjax-editing");
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "579"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworldbuilding.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f131908%2fhow-can-professional-leagues-implement-gene-enchancement-into-sports-while-keepi%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
10
down vote
Take lessons from the auto-racing industry. Auto-racing is an inherently technologically driven sport. Your 6 year old Camry will not compete with a modern stock car or F-1 car... period.
The first thing you'll notice has happened in auto-racing is that every auto sport is carefully tailored with a specific set of rules stipulating what is allowed. There are a handful of "unlimited" classes, such as those we find for land-speed records, but they are the exception to the rule.
Each class will have to adapt as new abilities come to light. F-1 ran through a phase like this recently. It had to add additional rules regarding what cars could do because the manufacturers all agreed that it was getting too expensive to win.
You'll also see rules placed on how you can use things. F-1 currently permits some very limited regenerative braking. You are only allowed to use it to pass someone. Why? Because passing makes the sport more exciting (more revenue for the races), and because it was found that was a decent way to limit the new technology such that driver skill still mattered.
You see these things in other sports (weight classes or gender classes, for instance), but auto-sports is so wed to technology that it provides a great set of examples for what to do once other sports become dominated by a technology.
1
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
add a comment |
up vote
10
down vote
Take lessons from the auto-racing industry. Auto-racing is an inherently technologically driven sport. Your 6 year old Camry will not compete with a modern stock car or F-1 car... period.
The first thing you'll notice has happened in auto-racing is that every auto sport is carefully tailored with a specific set of rules stipulating what is allowed. There are a handful of "unlimited" classes, such as those we find for land-speed records, but they are the exception to the rule.
Each class will have to adapt as new abilities come to light. F-1 ran through a phase like this recently. It had to add additional rules regarding what cars could do because the manufacturers all agreed that it was getting too expensive to win.
You'll also see rules placed on how you can use things. F-1 currently permits some very limited regenerative braking. You are only allowed to use it to pass someone. Why? Because passing makes the sport more exciting (more revenue for the races), and because it was found that was a decent way to limit the new technology such that driver skill still mattered.
You see these things in other sports (weight classes or gender classes, for instance), but auto-sports is so wed to technology that it provides a great set of examples for what to do once other sports become dominated by a technology.
1
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
add a comment |
up vote
10
down vote
up vote
10
down vote
Take lessons from the auto-racing industry. Auto-racing is an inherently technologically driven sport. Your 6 year old Camry will not compete with a modern stock car or F-1 car... period.
The first thing you'll notice has happened in auto-racing is that every auto sport is carefully tailored with a specific set of rules stipulating what is allowed. There are a handful of "unlimited" classes, such as those we find for land-speed records, but they are the exception to the rule.
Each class will have to adapt as new abilities come to light. F-1 ran through a phase like this recently. It had to add additional rules regarding what cars could do because the manufacturers all agreed that it was getting too expensive to win.
You'll also see rules placed on how you can use things. F-1 currently permits some very limited regenerative braking. You are only allowed to use it to pass someone. Why? Because passing makes the sport more exciting (more revenue for the races), and because it was found that was a decent way to limit the new technology such that driver skill still mattered.
You see these things in other sports (weight classes or gender classes, for instance), but auto-sports is so wed to technology that it provides a great set of examples for what to do once other sports become dominated by a technology.
Take lessons from the auto-racing industry. Auto-racing is an inherently technologically driven sport. Your 6 year old Camry will not compete with a modern stock car or F-1 car... period.
The first thing you'll notice has happened in auto-racing is that every auto sport is carefully tailored with a specific set of rules stipulating what is allowed. There are a handful of "unlimited" classes, such as those we find for land-speed records, but they are the exception to the rule.
Each class will have to adapt as new abilities come to light. F-1 ran through a phase like this recently. It had to add additional rules regarding what cars could do because the manufacturers all agreed that it was getting too expensive to win.
You'll also see rules placed on how you can use things. F-1 currently permits some very limited regenerative braking. You are only allowed to use it to pass someone. Why? Because passing makes the sport more exciting (more revenue for the races), and because it was found that was a decent way to limit the new technology such that driver skill still mattered.
You see these things in other sports (weight classes or gender classes, for instance), but auto-sports is so wed to technology that it provides a great set of examples for what to do once other sports become dominated by a technology.
edited Dec 3 at 22:57
Mołot
27.9k1286130
27.9k1286130
answered Dec 3 at 22:53
Cort Ammon
107k17185379
107k17185379
1
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
add a comment |
1
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
1
1
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
Sporting leagues have also begun to (more widely) adopt the salary cap system to prefer for competition and mitigate against shut-outs. In such a system we'd probably assume that mods must be 'public' knowledge, and tests could be by this time automated to allow refereeing. In individual competition we might find that instead of betting (or competition focusing) on the winners, it would be more a matter of the ability to last against superior opposition/score difference. Competitive sports rely on the illusion of competition and certain sporting systems may democratise resultingly.
– Giu Piete
Dec 3 at 23:10
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
develop a handicapping system. load sandbags on in proportion to the number/value of mods. also have open classes where people could really go nuts customizing their kids.
– theRiley
Dec 4 at 4:23
add a comment |
Thanks for contributing an answer to Worldbuilding Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
Use MathJax to format equations. MathJax reference.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Some of your past answers have not been well-received, and you're in danger of being blocked from answering.
Please pay close attention to the following guidance:
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fworldbuilding.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f131908%2fhow-can-professional-leagues-implement-gene-enchancement-into-sports-while-keepi%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
1
"an equal playing field" is problematic because we do not really know what is it supposed to mean now. For some, equal means best wins no matter how he got there (cycling). For others, best in specific category wins (weight categories in box). Sometimes, some categories are banned outright (people n doping). It'll be a level field if you want people in your world think it's level, whatever that is supposed to mean.
– Mołot
Dec 3 at 22:39
"How can you implement gene enchancement into professional leagues " - it is a question to you - you explained enhancement of people, how can it be applied for a league, even leaving alone any equality? What do you mean?
– Gangnus
Dec 3 at 22:42
Bear in mind that, fundamentally, you can't. The moment you do, your sport becomes one of who-can-pay-for-the-best-genes and not who-has-trained-themselves-the-best. No sport caring about anything but money would ever permit this, even if legal. (Now, whether or not any sport cares about anything other than money... that's a different question.)
– JBH
Dec 4 at 6:18
I think Money and Ethics would play more of a role then "Balance"
– CaffeineAddiction
Dec 4 at 8:26