MJ, Steroids and Skating

[Mafke]

As for Andreea Raducan, perhaps because she did not intend to take a banned substance, people found it easier to forgive her.

Excuse me, forgive her? She did nothing that requires forgiveness.
The ones who should ask to be forgiven are the morally bankrupt little fascists who took her rightfully earned medal away. I've boycotted watching gymnastics and any summer olympic competition since that disgraceful incident.

 

[Fredegunda]

Excuse me, forgive her? She did nothing that requires forgiveness.
The ones who should ask to be forgiven are the morally bankrupt little fascists who took her rightfully earned medal away. I've boycotted watching gymnastics and any summer olympic competition since that disgraceful incident.

My point was more that there is a huge difference to the public perception between one-time, accidental ingestion of a banned substance, such as an ingredient in cold medicine - something I would hardly call "doping" - and intentional long-term juicing up with the stated goal of beating everyone else. The accused athlete in the former situation is much more likely, I think, to have public opinion on his/her side and the accusations dismissed as stupidity on the part of TPTB, with the athlete thereby "forgiven" or "exonerated in the court of public opinion."

As for your boycott - maybe I should have done the same but I'm weak and can't resist the action - you haven't missed much over the years ;-)

 

[John King]

Nothing to do with steroids, but after hearing him speak, I think they should test Brian Orser for traces of helium.

 

[sillylionlove]

Nothing to do with steroids, but after hearing him speak, I think they should test Brian Orser for traces of helium.

 

[JonnyCoop]

Look at the zero interest that baseball fans have in Barry Bond's record.

Well, yes, the steroid use probably has a fair amount to do with that, but personally I think the fact that he's an OBNOXIOUS JACKASS* has even MORE to do with it.....

["Obnoxious Jackass" being used in place of more correct term that is inappropriate for usage on this board......]

 

[astimegoesby]

My point was more that there is a huge difference to the public perception between one-time, accidental ingestion of a banned substance, such as an ingredient in cold medicine - something I would hardly call "doping" - and intentional long-term juicing up with the stated goal of beating everyone else.

I agree. I doubt the athletes mentioned who lost medals or were banned from competing after inadvertently taking cold medication containing banned substances (Canadian rowing champion Silken Laumann is another example of this) took that medication to deliberately enhance their performance.

As for steroid use in skating, I remember Kurt Browning offered to strip after winning his first world title in 1989 to prove he didn't use steroids (this was not long after Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson lost his 1988 Olympic gold medal after testing positive for steroids). Kurt said he was living proof skaters didn't need to bulk up.

 

[Mafke]

I doubt the athletes mentioned who lost medals or were banned from competing after inadvertently taking cold medication containing banned substances (Canadian rowing champion Silken Laumann is another example of this) took that medication to deliberately enhance their performance.

My point (French pronunciation, please) exactment!

If the regulations can't distinguish between a systematic juicer and someone who took an over-the-counter cold medicine, there is something deeply, deeply wrong with the regulations.

 

[Fred Goss]

the drug testing procedures easily determine the difference
between cold remedies and performance enhancing drugs.

the problem is that the cold remedies and the like are thought
to be used, or can be used, as "masking agents" to cover up
the use of other drugs..that's why they are banned.

 

[mzheng]

I also think that having blanket rules covering all sports are bogus since for certain sports (including figure skating) most kinds of performance enhancing drugs are more likely to do more harm than good (split second timing is not helped by rapid muscle gain).

Not necessary. Ask TT about it. I remember read somewhere an interview with TT, she mentioned she knew some of coaches and/or skaters do use performance enhanced drugs. And she she wished more strict inspect rules have been applied at Olympics and big competetions.

 

[mzheng]

This is a terrible idea. First, it would not solve the problem. If you allow athletes to take a little of something, then you would have athletes finding ways to cheat by taking a lot of something — to give them an advantage. Because it's all about gaining an unfair advantage over the rest of the field. Just allowing steroids is not going to fulfill that goal.

Second, it's a terrible idea to condone these substances which can have severe consequences for the longterm health of the athletes. Perhaps what is needed is a long, hard look at the highschool athletics systems that are putting young athletes under such pressure that they are willing to risk their health for a fleeting moment of teenage glory.

Which is one of the reasons that allowing Olympic athletes to take steroids is such a bad idea. Many of them are teenagers, or at least were teenagers when they started. These substances can have huge detrimental effects on their growth and development, particularly in sexual development — for both males and females.

ITA.