
The Burn Bag Podcast
Winning at Any Cost: Clean Competition, Soft Power through Sports, and the Russian Doping Scandal with Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency
In this episode, A'ndre and Ryan talk to Travis Tygart, CEO of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA), about maintaining the integrity of international sports. Travis, who has spent two decades at the USADA, traces the history of doping in sports and how the rules for clean competition have developed over time. Having oversaw the investigation into Lance Armstrong, Travis break down why anti-doping regulations are so important and why holding athletes, teams, and countries accountable advances the rule of law. We then delve into the Russian doping scandal and the close relationship between sports and politics. Despite international agreements banning doping, countries such as Russia seek to win at any cost. The conversation concludes with Travis's persecutive on the future and how high-level athletes are using their platforms to advance anti-doping and anti-corruption efforts.