Time to act against Beijing’s biotech threat
‘There’s no point in winning if you don’t win it fair.”
This is a quote from the British swimmer Adam Peaty during the recent Paris Olympics – a reference to the doping accusations levelled against China, which led to a full-on spat between the various agencies responsible for policing the sport.
However, given advancements in the life sciences sector, cheating in sports is likely to become even harder to detect.
The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) will come under scrutiny ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Two of the four Chinese men’s 4x100-metre relay swimmers tested positive for banned substances ahead of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago, yet WADA decided to allow them to compete.
Given the Chinese won gold in the relay in Paris there are legitimate questions being asked.
Doping has plagued sports competitions for decades.
However, as technology advances, the science underpinning doping will be harder to police.
We are now entering a new era characterised by the interplay of AI and synthetic biology, and our inability to deal with current doping tactics will be quickly compounded.
It is not hard to guess who will use these new technologies to cheat in sports.
China’s attempt to become a world leader in biotechnology has already raised concerns about its dual use.
Gene therapies have the potential to eradicate genetic diseases, but that same technology has immense military applications.
Evidence suggests the Chinese government is attempting to genetically enhance its soldiers to be more immune to high altitudes, creating a new breed of “super soldiers” based on forcibly collected genomic data of Tibetans and Uyghurs, minority groups that have established special adaptations to survive at high altitudes.
The next logical step for a regime obsessed with projecting its power and influence would be to extend these enhancements to athletes.
The same technology that can increase combat effectiveness at high altitude could easily boost the performance of athletes.
The Chinese government, like other autocracies, views dominance at the Olympics not merely as a source of national pride but as a potent propaganda tool.
Success on the global stage reinforces the notion of China’s superiority in various fields, including sports.
This explains China’s history of systematic doping.
WADA has its work cut out.
Traditional doping tests won’t be able to identify ingrained, genetic modifications that can confer significant advantages.
Imagine if China were able to build the perfect athlete using stolen DNA? How would WADA spot it?
This raises wider questions about China’s interest in DNA.
China’s national genomics champion, BGI Group and its subsidiaries, have been accused by intelligence agencies as carrying out “abusive DNA collection and analysis schemes”.
These data collection capabilities not only strengthen China’s domestic biotech industry but also its capacity to outcompete Western firms, as they receive huge state subsidies and stolen intellectual property to undercut others.
Over time this could lead them to dominate the global genomics market and create a troubling dependency on China for critical healthcare innovations and services.
Suspicions over China’s response to Covid should serve as a reminder that depending on Beijing for public health is foolhardy.
How should we respond to this challenge?
The US has already taken proactive steps with the BIOSECURE Act, aiming to safeguard its life sciences from foreign influence and control.
The UK must follow suit.
The dual-use nature of biotechnology, exemplified by China’s aggressive pursuit of genetic enhancements, needs a coordinated international response.
The integrity of sports, the future of healthcare and the principles of fair play and competition depend on our actions today.
Enhanced human performance in sports is already in motion.
Last year, a group of billionaires established the “Enhanced Games”, an alternative sporting event where athletes are free to use performance-enhancing technologies, including genetic modifications.
This development underscores the urgency of addressing these issues, as the Paris Olympics may very well be the last games not overshadowed by widespread accusations of genetic manipulation.
Iain Duncan Smith is Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green