Dopers are idiots - 9/27/06

Drugs have no place in sport. Period. End of story.

Those that say we should allow the doctors to administer the drugs so that the athletes can take advantage of their benefits but in a "safe and controlled" environment are whacked and missing the big picture. The long-term negative effects of some performance-enhacing drugs on the body are well-documented. Other drugs are too new to know for sure. Whether a drug is self-administered or doled out by a doctor in "safe" doses, the negative effects are still going to come back to haunt you.

Also, this approach would still allow those athletes or teams with the most money the best access to the latest-and-greatest drugs available. So, as it used to be with some cycling teams (for instance)having access to better equipment, so too would it be this way with the drugs.

But, this speaks nothing of the morality of it all. In one survey, national class athletes on the cusp of being world class were asked if they would take performance-enhancing drugs in order to win an Olympic gold medal if they knew they would never get caught. Over 90% responded affirmatively. That, in and of itself, is disturbing. But what is even more disturbing is that over 70% also responded affirmatively when asked if they would do so if in five years they would die from taking those drugs. Over 70% still said "yes"!!!

There is a limit to "pushing the limits." NFL linemen are now categorically averaging well above 300 lbs. They are certainly strong human beings, but they are also (for the most part) grossly fat. And we really don't know how many of them are on steroids, etc. The weather is no different now than it was decades ago. Yet, today, linemen are dropping dead during practice. Not just any players, but the linemen. Is it because of the heat, or is it because they are killing themselves anyway with the added fat and weight they slog around? (Hint: It ain't the weather, folks)

Cycling is just the latest debacle. I am encouraged that teams are starting to clean themselves up. Several teams have a "no tolerance" policy - like FdJ as one example.

To me, bans should be for life. Cheat in Vegas and you go to jail for a very long time. Certainly not 2 years. Throw the cheats out for life, severely fine and punish the team organization for such infractions. This would make sure the coaches, directors, doctors and other staff members would be intimately aware of what was going into each athlete's mouth. There would be no, "Huh, I had no idea Joe Rider was doping. I really didn't!" Sanctions need to be swift and dealt out with finality for doping to be erased from sport. Everyone involved needs to understand that their careers are in jeopardy for any such infraction. Otherwise, what is the real consequence? Nothing.

So, that's the rant for today.