Sport and drugs

[mart]

With Rusedski in the news this makes interesting reading.

Joseph Romanos NZ Listener January 10 - 16
"I knew that the Americans were soft on drugs in sport, but I didn't realise how soft until reading a recent story in the Guardian headed "A habit US sport doesn't want to kick".
What brought about the latest spotlight on American attitudes to drugs cheats was the induction into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame of runner Mary Decker. Many people recall Decker as the foul-mouthed American who tripped and fell during a much-publicised showdown with Zola Budd during the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. But Decker was much more than that. She was a world champion and world record-setting middle-distance athlete, about the only Western female athlete who could take on and beat the steroids-assisted Eastern Bloc runners.
Then, belatedly, we discovered why.In 1996, a dope test revealed excessive levels of testosterone in her urine, a result that led to a protracted legal campaign. Finally, the US Supreme Court refused Decker's right to appeal the International Amateur Athletic Federation ban. Decker ended her career in disgrace.
Never mind. A large group of American journalists, officials and existing Hall of Fame members voted for Decker this year and she is now inducted alongside legends like Jesse Owens, Al Oerter and Wilma Rudolph.
The Americans have always looked to excuse their drugs cheats. We learnt this year how Carl Lewis had failed three drugs tests, but still been permitted to represent the US at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where he was feted as a hero after Canadian Ben Johnson was busted.
Now US track officials are spending hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to protect world 400m champion Jerome Young, the sprinter who failed a drugs test in 1999, but was allowed to compete in the 2000 Olympics, where he won a relay gold medal.
We aren't lilywhite in New Zealand, of course, but there is a much harder attitude here towards drugs cheats. Most people feel that penalties of at least two years, but more often four years or life, should follow a positive dope test.
It isn't like that in the US. According to the Guardian, NFL (pro football) players who tested positive for the latest banned steroid, THG, before October 6 will not be suspended. The typical penalty for a steroid first offence in the NFL is a four-week suspension.
The drugs problem is rife in baseball, where the governing body, only three decades behind the rest of the sports world, has announced that it will begin penalising players for steroid use next season, after learning that more than five percent of this year's 1438 anonymous tests came back positive.
A first positive test for steroid use would result in "treatment" and a second in a 15-day suspension. Baseball chiefs obviously mean business! "

[Ace]

I think 'our' Greg is innocent. Lets face it, hes at the near end of his career, will never amount to a SERIOUS contender for a worthy title. I think its a case of having a 'banned' substance that has been taken innocently. We know that Red Bull contains substances that are deemed illegal, and I think its something on these lines.
There is NO room for drugs in sport, but I honestly believe that if something can be brought over the counter, it should be allowed. ANYTHING that has to be prescribed should be banned

[Peter]

I can still not understand why certain substances said to enhance performance are banned, yet people are allowed to have pain killing injections in order to help them play. Surely taking away the pain from a twisted ankle is "performance enhancing", as would taking an asprin for a headache be for a football defender constantly heading the ball.

Let 'em take anything.

[nosey]

Perhaps if Tim Henman took drugs he might, eventually, win at Wimbledon,say in about 10 years time. lol

[Bob Singleton]

Ace wrote:

> I think 'our' Greg is innocent. Lets face it, hes at the near
> end of his career, will never amount to a SERIOUS contender for
> a worthy title. I think its a case of having a 'banned'
> substance that has been taken innocently. We know that Red Bull
> contains substances that are deemed illegal, and I think its
> something on these lines.

I have to disagree with you on that... with all the publicity surrounding nandrolone these last 5 years or so, there is no such thing as "innocently" taking something.

All athletes are aware that many banned substances can be found in over-the-counter products, from Vicks nasal sprays to dietry supplements. The ATP, for instance, has a 24 hour hot-line for any tennis player to call to ask if a product is OK or not if they are not sure, so Greg has no excuse there.

The bottom line is that an athlete is ultimately responsible for what is found in his/her body. If illegal drugs are found then they should receive the maximum punishment.

[IdolDroog]

Er, you think it could be considered a tolerable life having to dial a phone number every time you want to eat drink or take something? Youd be on the phone 30 times a day!

Im surprised anyone would willingly cheat in modern sports because its obvious it would be found out with the amount of testing done. Maybe they should just make all drugs obligatory then itd still be a level playing field.....

[crofter]

yeah Greg Rusedski innocent pull the fucking other one, bear in mind these ATP players have fitness coaches, dieticians and all the rest of the shit that goes along with that, have we ever heard of a sportsman or women who has been tested positive actually admitting their guilt, if you take the case of Alan Baxter (the scottisk skier) who said that the reason why he might have banned substances in him was because he took an American version of a Vicks Nasal Spray which had banned ingredients in it where as the British version of the Vicks Nasal Spray he had used previously did not have any banned substances in it, now if he is found guilty what chance Rusedski??
I believe that 40% of American medalists at this years athletics World Championship have tested positive for the same designer anabolic steroid that Dwain Chambers has been alleged to have used.

[Deuce Bigolo]

Aussie cyclist Martin Vinnicombe admitted taking steroids simply because the Germans were but by enlarge you are correct most never admit guilt

Always blame somone else...spiked sample....cocaine in my drink at a nightclub etc

Maybe its time to have the Drug Olympics?

cheers
B....OZ

[crofter]

yes it seems guilt does not enter into any of the positive athletes way of thinking, which makes you wonder with that mentality what percentage of sportsmen are actually performing ?clean?. As has been mentioned 20 and 30 years ago football players were able to play only because of pain killing injections which in the long term proved very dangerous, so with the advance of modern medicine, what percentage would take a chance with these new undetectable drugs, pretty high I would bet.

[bfu]

one of the biggest problems is that little or no research has been done into what level of drugs banned by sports commitees, and are commonly used by us everyday people, are 'performance inhancing - so there is a blanket ban.

do we seriouly think the use of a eg. vick nasal spray will suddenly make a difference to an sportsmans performance. also as tests become more sensitive they might well pick up levels that are physiologically ineffective.

cannabis is a banned performance drug - but if you see the effect, i would suggest it would reduce an athelete performance.