Wada's war on doping could soon be fought against a generation of bionic men and women Clearly, not every team will be guilty. But with billions of dollars at stake, how long before some sports medics, somewhere in the world, manage to achieve the next stage in this biochemical arms race? Perhaps they have already mastered the science of gene doping, for example. We would have little way of knowing, because there is no test. Gene doping, which many experts believe will be achievable within a decade, involves altering an athlete's DNA. It is not about giving a footballer the ability to head a ball like Alan Shearer - that only comes with training and repetition. But you could theoretically implant an EPO gene, allowing an athlete to carry more oxygen in his bloodstream. Or boost his natural production of human growth hormone, which builds muscle and improves recovery times from injury. The most likely method of delivery would be a bio-engineered virus, administered by injection. Admittedly, this sounds like a hokey movie. But then again, is the truth of modern sport not already imitating fiction? Look at theNational Football League, where steroid abuse is believed to be rife among the man-mountains at the line of scrimmage, and the players" life expectancy levels are a national scandal. Is this gladiatorial model - in which young men risk their lives for our entertainment as well as their own enrichment - so different from an apocalyptic fantasy like The Hunger Games? In Allison's original article, he drew a parallel between the preoccupations of 90 years ago - when sporting purists were appalled by the way Harold Abrahams actually trained for the 100 metres, rather than relying on God-given ability - and those of today. Is it not possible, he asked, that we will come to accept pharmaceutical boosters as one more factor in achieving peak performance? Could we not get used to seeing a top athlete's body rather as we now see a Formula 1 car, with sponsors and engineers and pit-crews attached? In all probability, the very suggestion will put you off your breakfast. It is an uncomfortable thought. But the money - and hence the expertise - is never going to be on the side of the angels here. For the meantime, we can only muddle on in darkness and doubt, hoping that the cops round up enough robbers to keep everyone else clean. But the chances are that, sooner or later, we will be forced to come up with a fresh paradigm.