This book addresses the tension between on the one hand anti-doping practices and measures
and on the other hand the fundamental rights of athletes. New techniques for testing and
re-testing samples taken several years ago have caused a push by the World Anti-Doping Agency
and affiliated organizations for stricter rules more doping tests and higher sanctions.
Meanwhile many States are adopting new laws and regulations to facilitate this push. At the
same time privacy and data protection have gained new momentum especially in the European
Union where the General Data Protection Regulation came into effect in May 2018. It contains
new obligations for data controllers and processors rights for data subjects and sanctions for
those violating the data protection rules. It is clear that gathering whereabouts information
on athletes collecting urine and blood samples analyzing the samples and using the data
distilled there from falls within the scope of the data protection framework. In addition
European athletes can invoke their rights to privacy fair trial and freedom from
discrimination as guaranteed by the European Convention on Human Rights. The book is aimed at
professionals and organizations involved in sports and anti-doping and provides them with an
opportunity to delve into and understand the rights guaranteed to athletes within the European
context. Furthermore it is equally relevant for privacy and data protection lawyers and human
rights scholars wishing to familiarize themselves with the difficult questions relating to
human rights protection in the world of sport and anti-doping. Written in accessible language
it should also prove useful to athletes and laymen wanting to learn about the rules applicable
to almost everyone who practices sport even at a local amateur level. Bart van der Sloot is
senior researcher at Tilburg University Tilburg The Netherlands Mara Paun is PhD researcher
at Tilburg University Tilburg The Netherlands Ronald Leenes is professor at Tilburg
University Tilburg The Netherlands.
