DOPING IS RAMPANT - JUST LEGALIZE IT

What about those athletes that don't want to risk their long-term health? And even with "careful monitoring," won't we still have the same problems in that some athletes will choose to take more drugs to get an even better edge?

I have held that position for years, the only way to level the playing field is to make everything legal, then tell athletes "this will kill you, this won't". Otherwise, it is just some BS game in which everyone gives each other the winky wink. ;-)

Glad you like my perspective. It reall is reality though. You are never going to stop the cheaters and everyone will continue to perform under a cloud of suspicion! After every performance an athlete is called into question. Be a grown up and realize that this is just another way to look at the subject.

That is both the point and the case now. No one is saying that an athlete must take drugs.

Obviously the TDF did lots of testing, but hordes of riders were and are taking drugs but are not being caught.

Yes of course if you go overboard with specific regimens you will place your health at risk but if you monitor yourself then a majority of these illegal substances are not detrimental to your health.

Of course this is not a full proof plan but it is a lot better than the stuff going on now. Athletes in motel rooms performing blood doping on themselves.

So, in essence, you're saying that if you want to have any chance to compete at the highest levels, that you need to use PEDs. But what about the athlete's who don't want to jeopardize their long-term health? Do they need to get a real job and move on with their life and give up their running goals/dreams? I know that's not what you are saying, but ultimately that's the bottom line if we legalize PEDs -- those that don't want to take them will never be able to compete at the level of those that are doing drugs. And I understand that that's what we are basically dealing with now, but I guess I'm not ready to give up the idea that athletes should be clean.

oh wow . . . thanks for opening our eyes

it's suprising no ones shot you yet

Unfortunately this is WHAT IS HAPPENING NOW but behind closed doors. Look at the TOP cyclist who have been busted: Tyler Hamilton, Heras, Millar and those are all big time ridersd who are at the top of the game. So its already the case and nothing would change. Its living in a world with blinders if you use the arguement that if we legalize it then you will have to use PEDs to compete. That is already the case but in a much more dangerous environment! I actually agree with this original poster on this issue. I honestly dont see how our sport or cycling will survive with the way it is going now with a new scandal coming out literally everyday.

A truly clean world of track and field and cycling is not possible with the way pharmaceuticals and medicine has progressed. People are willing to do anything to gain an edge so there will always be cheating. I never thought about possibly making it all legal but in essence it seems like it is the only logical thing to do in a way. Otherwise we will continue to quesiton every performance and every athlete. Even if an athlete is not caught (i.e. Lance Armstrong or Lagat) they will always be doubt!

You just can't make it legal.

You need money to get good doctors and do things safely.

Athletes starting out will get hurt trying to make their own concoctions or getting stuff from the street.

There is no way to carefully monitor all of the potential athletes.

I know the current testing procedures only rewards athletes who can beat the tests so it seems to be a no win situation.

If you do not agree with me it would be interesting to see what you think will work because the current methods do not work. We can test all we want but it has been proven atheltes compete for years and beat the tests. The current state of track and field and cycling are at a critical point when it comes to performance enhancing drugs. I am honestly sick of reading about bust after bust and constant suspicion hanging over our sports. This goes for all endurance sports including cross country skiing.

I will throw up if I see another news conference with a teary eyed athlete claiming their innocence. So rather than bash me for this point of view, maybe you could propose another alternative rather than tell me I need to be gang raped!

I understand the reality of the situation very well. At times I would actually describe myself as a cynic in that I tend to question everyone's performances when competing at the highest levels of our sport. But, lets say John Doe comes out of college with tremendous world-class potential, but he doesn't ever want to risk his long term health -- what is he supposed to do if we legalize PEDs? Is it fair to those, even if it's less than 10%, who will never take PEDs? If we legalize drugs in sport, we are basically saying that you need to risk your long-term health in order to compete at the highest levels. There is no way that legal drug use can be safely monitored -- many will choose to take the risk of taking more drugs for better performances.

I like it better the way it is now....if PEDs were legal in sports, then we'd have nothing to talk about.

The problem is that there is systematic PED usage going on currently; however, you have everyone claiming to be clean ... see the Tyler Hamilton thread. So you now have the situation where people who are drugged to the gills are now claiming to be clean; never test positive, and they cannot be discerned from the true clean athletes.

Obviously, it would not be fair to those who are clean, but that changes nothing because the system is not fair as it stands now.

DRUGS IN SPORTS ARE LEGAL NOW, IF YOU DO NOT GET CAUGHT!

I agree wholeheartedly in that the current system has failed miserably, dirty athletes continue to beat the tests, and that it's incredibly frustrating.

But I just can't envision giving up. At least now with the perception that it's cheating, for the most part we prevent college and high school athletes from using PEDs.

If it becomes legal, what's going to stop it from becoming rampant at all levels of our sport? Parents will start putting their 15-year kid on drugs so that he/she can get a full ride to Oregon!

Even if the IAAF and USATF were to say tomorrow that you could take, for example, HGH under a doctor's supervision without violating their rules, U.S. law would still make it illegal without a prescription for a valid medical condition. If you've been following the news, you know that the likelihood that Congress would amend the law to allow athletes to take HGH to improve athletic performance is less than zero, so, from that perspective, it's pointless to talk about.

Unfortunately kids are already using drugs to make it to the college level. The current system is pathetic so what is the solution?

What is stopping them now?Do a search on HGH and short kids, what you find might surprise you.

alt runner wrote:

If it becomes legal, what's going to stop it from becoming rampant at all levels of our sport? Parents will start putting their 15-year kid on drugs so that he/she can get a full ride to Oregon!

Sports are BIG business and if they decided to legalize it across the board then it would happen. Congress bends to the talk of money!