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Should we legalize performance-enhancing drugs in tennis/sports?

Aug 30, 2007 at 05:12 AM

In the last 25 years the challenges presented by performance enhancing drugs in sports and the inedequacy of the drug testing agencies to deal with it, has come to a point that even high ranked officials are venting their frustration.

"There's definitely a performance-enhancing effect if you use things that improve oxygen transport to the tissue," says Larry Bowers, an expert on athletic drug testing and senior managing director of the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. He says anonymous surveys of athletes indicate that only a tenth of them use performance-enhancing drugs. But he acknowledges that doped Athletes may win most of the time."

"Charles Yesalis, an epidemiology professor at Pennsylvania State University who has written extensively on the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sport over the past 23 years, believes a "large percentage" of record-holders probably doped their way to the finish line. "A lot of experts, at least in private, feel that way," he says."
"Yesalis maintains that drug testing, as practiced at past games, has been a "farce." "Just because of my own value system, I have never seriously entertained legalizing drugs," says Yesalis. "But the stench of the hypocrisy is starting to outweigh my hesitation to just throw up my hands and say, 'Let everybody do whatever they want.'" Performance Drugs Outrun The Olympics - Matthew Herper, 02.15.02, 12:00 PM ET Forbes.com
http://www.forbes.com/2002/02/15/0215ped.html

As Charles Yesalis, of the US. Anti-Doping Agency, I feel like saying "'Let everybody do whatever they want.'", but perhaps it would be the wrong signal, so let us analyse, what might happen if performance-enhancing drugs were legalized for professional athletes:

- Young people would get the wrong message.

- Our general anti drugs laws would not make any sense because; athletes are users and abusers of illegal drugs such as; Amphetamines, Diuretics, Growth hormone, Anabolic Steroids, Cocaine, Coca leaf juice, Cannabis even Monkey Brains and G.O.R.K. (God Only Really Knows)!

- All drugs would have to be legalized!

- We would have a quarter of the world taking speed, a quarter smoking cannabis another quarter snorting cocaine and the rest wondering what to take to look "Normal"! Kidding apart it would be a catastrophe! Or would it be?

- The already existing sports fanatics and wanabe champion dysfunctional and destitute of any talent would start taking drugs in the hope it would work for them! (Even though it would not work, because you still need to be a pure bread/great athlete to win.)

- Greedy parents would start pumping their children with all kinds of terrible things. (How naive am I, as if they were not doing it now?)

- High school coaches of all sports would have a heyday!
"A 2005 survey of high school students across the country by the national Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 4.8 percent had used steroids without a doctor's prescription.

Not that anyone needs a doctor. A 2005 study by monitoring the Future, a federally funded research organization, found that nearly 40 percent of high school seniors said steroids were "fairly easy" or "very easy" to acquire." Impact of steroids felt across high school sports C.W. Nevius Wednesday, September 20, 2006 - San Francisco Chronicle
http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/09/20/MNGNDL90A51.DTL

So if; At the Sydney Games, out of almost 3000 athletes tested, some 80 per cent of them admitted to taking at least one ‘legal’ drug or supplement. Over 500 admitted to taking more than five. It is clear that the ‘medicalisation’ of human performance, at least at the Olympics, means that sport could not, ironically, exist without drugs whether they are ‘legal’ or not." Drugs in sport - a bitter pill to swallow Fri, Dec 8, 06 16:15
http://www.sportingo.com/more_sports/drugs_sport_bitter_pill_swallow/1001,1107

''No one wants to see me put the shot 65 feet or throw the discus 200 feet, and the only way I can make a big throw is to use steroids.'' He said the competition would still be legitimate because he said 80 percent to 90 percent of the athletes he would face were using steroids. VIEWS OF SPORT; Liberate Track and Field From Steroids VIEWS OF SPORT; By EDWIN MOSES http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=950DE0DE143BF932A25755C0A96F948260

Nicolas Escude former ATP player (Career High ATP Ranking - Singles: 17 (26-Jun-2000) at the French open 2002. In Paris, French Davis Cup player Escude said: "To say that tennis today is clean, you have to be living in a dream world." http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/tennis/wimbledon/2071804.stm By Piers Newbery - BBC Sport Online at Wimbledon Friday, 28 June, 2002, 17:05 GMT 18:05 UK

Now the case for making it legal for professional athletes to take drugs:

- If the estimate is that around the 80% of the Athletes use some sort of performance enhancing substance, there is a strong case for legalization!

- Performance enhancing drugs should be legal for professional athletes only and above the age of 18 years old.

- Laws should be made to protect non-professional athletes and youngsters - No Tolerance on use or abuse.

- No tolerance for the use of performance enhancing drugs for non-professional until the age of 18 years old!

- Doctors and Medicine Sports Centres should be responsible for the Athletes medication.

- The Athletes and Doctors and labs should take full responsibility for their own decisions.

- Coaches should stay completely out of the equation, the professionals on the field; Doctors, Scientists and Labs should be the only ones making decisions with the Athletes.

There are a lot more issues, but to make this article shorter we have to understand that, the general public is well aware of what is going on and so do officials, sponsors and governments. There is to much money involved, billions and billions of dollars, we are no longer in the "Pierre de Coubertin" era. It is time for a change and everyone will feel better with the situation; the IOC, the governing bodies, the testing sites and the Athletes themselves.

Why are we then continuing this charade? Keeping on saying that our sports are clean when in any given Olympic games more than 8O% of the Athletes are "sick" or asthmatic, or have liver, heart or lung problems in order to be prescribed "legal" (Illegal) drugs and compete! And when almost every week there is a report about drug use by professional Athletes!

Remember in my last article I quoted - "SYDNEY, Australia (AP) -- John McEnroe has reportedly admitted he unknowingly took steroids during his tennis career.

"For six years I was unaware I was being given a form of steroid of the legal kind they used to give horses until they decided it was too strong even for horses," McEnroe was quoted as saying in The Daily Telegraph newspaper in Sydney on Monday." http://www.cnn.com/2004/SPORT/01/11/mcenroe.steroids.ap/ - CNN WORLD SPORTS Sunday, January 11, 2004 Posted: 8:52 PM EST (0152 GMT)

...and the ATP, the ITF and whoever else tests the players did not detect "HORSE DOSES of Steroids" in John McEnroes urine or blood tests? Definitely, "They cannot be serious!"

"In his book ''You Cannot Be Serious'', McEnroe said he suspected that steroids and amphetamines had made their way into the top levels of the sport in the 80's. " Why were steroids or amphetamines not detected on other players either, that is if players were tested at all?

The excuse, "the tennis authorities were testing for recreational drugs only", oh!...and cocaine apparentely stays in your body for the rest of your life in the roots of your hair. How come cocaine was never detected in any of the possible suspected culprits in the Tennis Tour then? Or is this a case of the whole world being "stupid" and these organizations know better?

We could go on and on citing more and more questionable actions by officialdom to no avail. The crux all of this is; "Should we legalize performance-enhancing drugs in tennis/sports?" As much as I hate to say it, to bring this absurd hypocritical charade to an end, my answer is a redundant yes!

ATTENTION: - I do not approve the use of illegal (PEDs) performance enhancing drugs by athletes or anyone. - Medicines were developed to treat people and not to be used as performance enhancing drugs. - Athletes using PRDs risk: INCREASED MORTALITY, SERIOUS CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS, THROMBOEMBOLIC EVENTS, STROKE, INCREASED RISK OF TUMOR PROGRESSION OR RECURRENCE AND MANY MORE DANGERS AND CONSEQUENCES

Sergio Cruz

<When Winning Costs Too Much: Steroids, Supplements, and Scandal in Today's Sports World

In this day and age when the sports pages of the local newspaper read like either a police report or a pharmacology text, it is impossible not to conclude that the mantra of winning has entered very dangerous ground. From scandalous college recruiting practices designed to give a team the "edge" on a blue chip athlete, to rampant use of steroids and supplements, a win-at-all-costs philosophy has taken over sports at every level. This can be further underscored by the startling fact that over one million American children between the ages of 12 and 17 have used some form of supplementÂ—in most cases with their parentsÂ’ full consent.

When Winning Costs Too Much not only details these abuses and the dangers of the drugs themselves, but also addresses the misguided coaches, failed mentors, and poor role models who have contributed to the decline of the sports-for-sports-sake mentality. Not just accusatory but also prescriptive, the authors provide solutions to many of the problems that plague sports, from reforming the NCAAÂ’s recruiting policies to Dr. BailesÂ’s program for maximizing athletic performance the healthy, drug-free way. An important book for participants and parents, coaches and administrators, When Winning Costs Too Much will be as valued in the locker room as the living room.
Customer Review: This is what's happening today.
When Winning Costs Too Much is a great book that not only covers anabolic steroids and supplements but concussions, fair play, sportsmanship, officiating, media, and authority surrounding sports. I really like the presentation and logic of the arguments presented by the authors, and clearly, they have literally hit the spot. It makes total sense to me, and I agree with everything. I just got a better idea. Why not just give out a lifetime ban from any sport to anybody for the first drug offense? I guarantee you that the players are going to immediately clean up their behaviors, and guess what...the number of fans will actually increase. On the other hand, I can't believe that the authors decided to include George W. Bush, Carl Lewis, and Myles Brand as proponents against the issues of anabolic steroids and unethical behaviors. Before Bush was the President of United States, he was the owner of the Texas Rangers that included Jose Canseco, Ivan Rodriguez Rafael Palmeiro, and Alex Rodriguez who were taking anabolic steroids during that period. There is no way that he couldn't have known what was going on. And also, his father hired Arnold Schwarzenegger, a major user of steroids during his bodybuilding days, to be the chairman of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. Carl Lewis, the supposed victim of the scandal that Ben Johnson caused in 1988 Olympics, actually failed drug tests which were all covered up by Olympics officials because he was from USA whereas Ben Johnson was from Canada. Myles Brand was the president of Indiana University and became the president of NCAA. From 2002 to 2009, Brand saw NCAA football and basketball to be billion dollar companies where lack of discipline and punishment have run rampant. So, if Myles Brand was the president and he preached on ethics, so why didn't he do anything to curb the problem? You know how much he was paid for a year? At least $895,000...I'll bet a lot of that money was in form of bribery to keep his mouth shut and look at the other way. Oh...get out of my face, and stop playing the hypocrite. After the solutions are presented in the book, they do deserve merit. But, let's get real...nothing is ever going to happen because the almighty dollar will always rule. I loved the interview between the author and a referee, and it was a side that I never knew before. There is an outstanding story on Mike Hall, a powerlifter from Delaware. Meanwhile, I wished that the authors would denounce ESPN for being one of the biggest culprits to the problems facing sports today. All in all, When Winning Costs Too Much is a great insight of what's really happening in sports, academics, and society, and after five years, nothing has changed.
Customer Review: A Reality Check on Modern Day Sports
Although it would take a naÃ¯ve person to believe that steroid abuse is not prevalent in sports, this preeminent novel highlights scandals and stories that have plagued the purity of sports. When Winning Cost too Much goes into detail about the negative affects of steroid abuse and how it is changing the nature of sports. Sports figures are idolized by society, but how can we idolize athletes that "cheat the system." Do we encourage our children to cheat on their math tests? This is a great book, that will have you questioning modern day sports.

The Steroids Game
The Steroids Game cuts through the hype and misinformation common in most books on anabolic steroids. One of the worldÂ’s top steroid authorities, Charles Yesalis, teams up with Virginia Cowart to provide a straightforward and balanced discussion of what steroids are, how they work, their effects on athletic performance, their health consequences, and possible solutions to the growing problem.
Customer Review: Too much moral
I don't like this book at all. That's too much moralistic... If you wanna write about something really... write it in the neutral way...
Customer Review: this book was good for the bodybuilder
this is a great book for the bodybuilder who is thinking about using steroids, and wants to know what ther are getting into

The Price of Perfection: Individualism and Society in the Era of Biomedical Enhancement

Few would question the necessity of artificial limbs for amputees. But what of surgery to lengthen the legs of children who are merely shorter than average? Hardly anyone would challenge the decision to prescribe Aricept to people with dementia. But is it acceptable to give the same medication to airline pilots seeking sharper mental focus on long-haul flights?

Humans have engaged in biological self-improvement since long before recorded history, from the impotence-curing wild lotus brew of the ancient Egyptians to the herbal energy drink favored by early Olympians. Now biomedical enhancements are pushing the boundaries of possibility and acceptability. Where do we draw the line? How do we know the true ramifications of pioneering medicine? What price are we willing to pay for perfection?

Maxwell J. Mehlman's provocative examination of these issues speaks to fundamental questions of what it means to be human. He finds public officials ill-equipped to handle the ethical, scientific, and public policy quandaries of biomedical enhancement. Instead of engaging difficult questions of morality, access, fairness, and freedom, elected officials have crafted toothless and counterproductive laws and regulations.

Mehlman outlines policy options to boost the societal benefits and minimize the risks from these technologies. In the process, he urges the public to face the ethical issues surrounding biomedical enhancement, lest our quest for perfection compromise our very humanity.

Customer Review: Maxwell Mehlman finds public officials unequipped to handle the ethical, scientific and public policy challenges
The many ethical debates being raised by medical technology's opportunities and challenges are covered in THE PRICE OF PERFECTION: INDIVIDUALISM AND SOCIETY IN THE ERA OF BIOMEDICAL ENHANCEMENT. Humans have engaged in biological self-improvement since before recorded history but today have unprecedented opportunities to change at the most basic of levels. What does it mean to be human under such conditions? Maxwell Mehlman finds public officials unequipped to handle the ethical, scientific and public policy challenges of such enhancements. Policy issues and options are the focus in this important college-level survey.

UPDATE:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/tennis/03/26/odesnik.hgh.ap/index.html

Latest incident - Updated: Thursday April, 1, 2010 Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/tennis/03/26/odesnik.hgh.ap/index.html#ixzz0jrhhFTB7 Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription -

Wayne Odesnik, an American tennis player ranked No. 98, pleaded guilty Friday to importing human growth hormone into Australia before a tournament leading to the Australian Open. He was fined more than $7,000 and could be banned from tennis for two years. Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/tennis/03/26/odesnik.hgh.ap/index.html#ixzz0jrhHSJX1 Get a free NFL Team Jacket and Tee with SI Subscription

Latest incident - May 18.05.2009 - RICHARD GASQUET Cocaine test star suspended. French tennis player Richard Gasquet has been suspended after a drugs test came up positive for traces of cocaine. http://www.bild.de/BILD/news/bild-english/home/regularieninhalte/sports-ticker/sport/2009/05/12/richard-gasquet-suspended-after-positive-cocaine-test.html

Update to Gasquet case: 23-07-2009

The charade continues, sad that high level officials are behind this ruling.

Is there a way to believe that the ATP, ITF, WADA or anyone are serious about getting cheaters in tennis? It seems that there is too much money at stake and in the end the whole thing becomes just a real farse and a tragic comedy.

Gasquet proved to the tribunal that he got cocaine in his body through kissing a contaminated girl in a nightclub!!! Ah!, ah!, ah!....

Ruling statement:

"The tribunal accepted Mr Gasquet's plea of no significant fault or negligence, on the basis that he was able to demonstrate on the balance of probabilities how the cocaine entered his system (through inadvertent contamination in a nightclub the night before his scheduled match), and that, while he was at fault in exposing himself to the risk of such contamination, that fault was not significant," the statement added.

Doped But Undetected SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Olympic gold medalist Antonio Pettigrew admitted publicly for the first time Thursday that he used performance-enhancing substances during a long, successful sprinting career in which he passed all drug tests.

The Herald - Web Issue 3419 March 27 2009
Murray and Nadal set for WADA fight
'Murray echoes Nadal's assertion that tennis has no big problem with drugs. But neither he nor Nadal had impacted on the senior game when Greg Rusedski was among dozens who failed a test for the steroid nandrolone six years ago.

The ATP was said to have distributed contaminated electrolyte, and eventually Rusedski, along with several players in the world top 20, escaped censure. But not before WADA proved supplements and drinks had nothing to do with it.

A two-year suspension would have been their lot had tennis then been a signatory to the WADA code. Doping was clearly rife and the ATP stance was no more than window dressing. They pointed to minimal adverse findings. In the year prior to Rusedski's positive, the International Tennis Federation conducted 1506 anti-doping controls. All but 77 of these were at tournaments.

Not even the daftest crook lobs a brick through the jeweller's window under the eye of the Flying Squad.

Richard Pound, then head of WADA, told The Herald in an exclusive interview that ATP handling of the affair was 'dead wrong, but we could do nothing about that, because they have not signed up to the WADA code.'

At last they have, and players are squealing. They jeered ITF representatives when details were announced last month.'
http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport/headlines/display.var.2487586.0.murray_and_nadal_set_for_wada_fight.php

Now in November 2011 David Howman WADA's Director General of the World Anti-Doping Agency, declared:

David Howman who commenced work for WADA as Chief Operating Officer/Special Counsel in March 2003,

stated that:

"We are catching the dopey dopers, but not the sophisticated ones," and that "It is pathetic. We must increase quality and efficiency if we want to continue the fight." David Howman

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