The latest in athletic performance enhancing techniques

The eyesight analogy is a good one to pursue, Beef. If an athlete wears glasses, it is an artificial enhancement, but Lasik surgery would be an elective/unnecessary procedure on a "perffectly good body". Is it appropriate to overcorrect vision to 20/10 for a baseball batter? and if this is found to benefit hitters, is it unethical?

 

It is a good analogy, I would find overcorrecting vision of a baseball player to be unethical, yes. same with a goalie in hockey. Once done however, I don't think there would be much the league could do unless they could undo the surgery.
I know with my arguement the line is starting to get blurred, but it is also fairly common suregery that just about anyone can get for a price. As well, the body outside the eye isn't being touched, it is correcting, in most cases, degenerating vision – whether that be near or far sightedness or some other deficency. It's not like they are perfectly fine, and in most cases it is a surgery out of convenience so that glasses or contacts don't have to be used. Other athletes who can't affoard the surgery, likely can affoard glasses, sports goggles, or contacts. It's along the same line as lineman in football using a knee brace, it gives him that extra support or confidence in his knees.

 

This blurry line supports my argument. You can already argue that rich athletes/countries with access to top-of-the line science already have an "unfair" advantage on the rest of the field.

I suppose what you could do - in an effort to avoid The Bionic Man from showing up en masse - is regulate what technologies are allowed and which aren't for the purpose of sports. Maybe genetic technology is allowed, but nanotechnology is not, for instance. Leagues already have rules on equipment, so why not do the same with the players themselves?

Banning this stuff until it's been tested to be safe and free of negative side effects would be wise at the very least. Face it, it's coming. You might as well manage it now and at least give the potential of embracing it instead of trying to force it all into the black market.