Doping - the eternal theme of wanting to catch up with your own tail.

The desire of every elite athlete is to achieve a performance that is enough to win against others or to enter the record books. And with that thought in mind, we throw ourselves into the hard work of miles run, rowed or pedaled, tons crammed and thousands of technically mastered or unmastered attempts. We have detailed information on how others are training, the most up-to-date statistical data on our own work and that of our competitors, all almost online. We know what to eat, when to go to bed, who to sleep with and where to travel. But whether that will be enough to set a record, or at least compete in the Olympics, is uncertain and even less likely.

Being better than the other guy can help a little. A dietary supplement, a homeopathic remedy, possibly some small or larger pill with or without a name. Replacement of "worn out" blood with oxygenated blood, but also replacement of a urine or blood sample or outright fraud in the collection. And lo and behold, the results are indeed better, the chances of success are greater, and no one has figured anything out yet!

Unchecked desire sometimes leads astray, whether in sports, love, or work. It's like getting ahead in line or grabbing a second piece of chocolate, even though I know some haven't even had the first one yet. Managing uncontrolled desire so that we can look at ourselves in the mirror without feeling disgusted is hard, but necessary. It's much more about our own morals and ethics than it is about proclamations and charity. And it's also about respect for others and understanding our own limits.

Desire can be the fuel for increased performance and improved abilities, it can be the engine for pushing beyond limits we thought we would never get beyond. In the same way, desire can let us into a closed circle from which we cannot jump. If desire allows us to go so far as to use doping to win over others, it is logical and understandable, but inexcusable. We will finally catch up with our own tail. And in doing so, we fulfill the symbol of futility.