View Full Version : Drugs in Sport
MisterTommyH
12-10-12, 09:53 AM
Following on from the Lance Armstrong thread it's been suggested that LA was on a course of steroids when he stated competing (the steroids being the end of his treatment for cancer).
Is it acceptable that someone who is on a course of prescribed medication which could increase their performance is allowed to compete? Is there any way that the negative effects of the illness can be balanced against the positive effects of the drugs?
This brings me on to something that crossed my mind during the Paralympics. With some of the disabilities the athletes have I don't think it's inconceiveable that some of them are on medications which help with the conditions, but would be seen as 'doping' if found in a standard drugs test. Does anyone know if this is the case, and how this is allowed for mitigated to make the Paralympics fair?
Spank86
12-10-12, 09:58 AM
The paralypics is a farce as far as competition goes anyway so I doubt it matters.
You've got people with one leg running against people with no legs and all sorts of other things.
Fallout
12-10-12, 10:15 AM
Agree with Spank. Paralypics is a fantastic event but despite all the rules on categories of disability and all that, it's never going to be completely fair. A few drugs probably isn't a big deal.
Anyway, the whole fairness debate regarding drugs is a bit silly to me. It's to do with role models, not fairness. We don't want our kids looking up to people who take drugs. In ancient Greece, it was standard fair! Mental attitude, DNA, sacrifice, available training facilities, financial backing, the trainer you're landed with, the country you're from, your parents etc. have just as much affect, but they're all acceptable discrepancies, but drugs aren't. It's as if people think they triple your ability without work.
I'm not condoning drugs btw. I just don't like the attitude that it's all a level playing field without drugs in the equation.
Spank86
12-10-12, 11:51 AM
You also have the issue of deciding what a performance enhancing drug IS, I mean everything we consume/ingest can be performance enhancing (or detrimental)
andrewsmith
12-10-12, 02:05 PM
There is no drugs in sport! Only people Chuck Norris has breathed on ;)
The drugs in sport will always happen and has probably happened for far longer than the testing labs have existed. It is the human temperament to find an advantage or cheat to beat everyone else
LA was accused of doping before the cancer treatments
ClunkintheUK
12-10-12, 02:18 PM
There is no drugs in sport! Only people Chuck Norris has breathed on ;)
The drugs in sport will always happen and has probably happened for far longer than the testing labs have existed. It is the human temperament to find an advantage or cheat to beat everyone else
True. It also only fairly recently that drugs have been considered cheating (45 years, certainly in cycling). in the early 1900s the drug of choice was a mix of alcohol, aphetamins or horse tranquilisers and Arsenic.
Spank86
12-10-12, 04:32 PM
Do you have the name of that cocktail and which bars they serve it in?
maviczap
12-10-12, 05:00 PM
Do you have the name of that cocktail and which bars they serve it in?
Its a Micky Finn :p
The paralypics is a farce as far as competition goes anyway so I doubt it matters.
You've got people with one leg running against people with no legs and all sorts of other things.
Nice sentiment there
:smt072
Spank86
12-10-12, 05:12 PM
Nice sentiment there
:smt072
I sense sarcasm, possibly because we're supposed to forget all the massive flaws with the paralympics just because its disabled people. Well I reckon thats discrimination.
No, I meant no sarcasm in my comment. Did you in yours?
If your answer is 'no' may I politely request that you take your vile unkind thoughts about disabled competition elsewhere. This thread, and in my opinion this forum, is no place for it
m1tch_1987
12-10-12, 05:31 PM
Don't ban anything, will be even more interesting to watch :D
MisterTommyH
12-10-12, 05:40 PM
It was meant to be a serious question.
As far as I can see the Paralympics makes an effort to put athletes with similar degrees of disability into the same races (lets face it every athlete is different and we can't thousands of races all with 1 or 2 people in them).
I may be coming across as ignorant here but I honestly have no idea how or even if medication is taken into account. Don't things like CF require courses of steroids? Does the athlete have to choose between treatment and competition or do they get a dispensation?
Spank86
12-10-12, 05:47 PM
No, I meant no sarcasm in my comment. Did you in yours?
If your answer is 'no' may I politely request that you take your vile unkind thoughts about disabled competition elsewhere. This thread, and in my opinion this forum, is no place for it
I believe that disabled people have just as much right to compete in sporting events as anyone else but I don't believe it helps anyone to pretend the current system is a level playing field among competitors in the Paralympics.
The reason I mentioned people with one leg and people with no legs specifically was because of the running blades and the controversy involved with that.
If you think that's vile and unkind then feel free to PM me and I'll bother you no more.
I don't feel the need to pm you. I've said what I think here.
I think the playing field for disabled atheletes is a level as it can practically be. To disrespect the whole of the paralympics in a few stereotyped comments in that 'the paralympics is a farce as far a competition goes' shows a degree of ignorance and vileness that I find extremely tasteless
Oh and one more thing, such a discussion about the 'farce' of the paralympics has nothing to do with a thread about drugs in sport
Spank86
12-10-12, 05:57 PM
Fair enough,
One point I will note is that I said 'as far as competition'
NOT 'as far as A competition'
Spank86
12-10-12, 06:00 PM
Oh and one more thing, such a discussion about the 'farce' of the paralympics has nothing to do with a thread about drugs in sport
I was directly responding to the third paragraph of the OP which was talking about drugs for conditions or otherwise in the Paralympics and why I don't think it matters...
Because in my opinion the other imbalances far outweigh it (and of course incidents like countries fielding completely Non disabled athletes as mentally disabled).
maviczap
12-10-12, 06:08 PM
It was meant to be a serious question.
I may be coming across as ignorant here but I honestly have no idea how or even if medication is taken into account. Don't things like CF require courses of steroids? Does the athlete have to choose between treatment and competition or do they get a dispensation?
Sometimes dispensation is given
But here's an example that I remember. Chris Boardman our 'clean' riding cyclist couldn't explain a dramatic loss in his form. After numerous tests, he was diagnosed with a genetic disorder, that was causing his bones to wear away, most areas which were affected were his joints.
He could take a drug to stop or slow the affect of the disorder, but being an honest rider he asked for a dispensation, which was rejected.
He retired that season, after claiming the hour record, not wanting to inflict any further damage to his joints.
i think they should have 'stoner olympics' in Holland where all the athletes have to be completely stoned out their face or tripping out their nutz or both to participate. the opening ceremony could be them lighting a great big massive bong that they all have to take a blast of.
i would watch that as it would be funny as.
maviczap
12-10-12, 07:38 PM
Bib, they'ed all be asleep or eating ravanously :D
andrewsmith
12-10-12, 08:33 PM
i think they should have 'stoner olympics' in Holland where all the athletes have to be completely stoned out their face or tripping out their nutz or both to participate. the opening ceremony could be them lighting a great big massive bong that they all have to take a blast of.
i would watch that as it would be funny as.
:lol:
Dabteacake
13-10-12, 01:14 PM
Put the snacks at the end of an obstacle course! Like a stoners wipeout
Drugs in sport what about powerlifting? A natural competitor cannot really complete against a juicer
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