Bioethics and the legal architecture of sport integrity

This Rapid Communication argues that bioethics has evolved into a form of soft law within international sport governance, shaping regulatory decisions in the absence of binding legal frameworks. Institutions such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, the International Olympic Committee, and UNESCO increasingly use ethical codes and declarations to justify policies concerning athlete welfare, performance enhancement, and biomedical innovation. Drawing on the intersection of bioethics, law, and governance, the paper demonstrates how principles of autonomy, justice, beneficence, and non-maleficence now function as quasi-legal norms that influence adjudication and policy interpretation. Understanding bioethics as soft law reframes sport integrity not merely as a moral commitment, but as a legal-ethical regime that mediates between scientific advancement, political interests, and the global legitimacy of sport governance.