OLD SMTC SOB wrote:
otter wrote:Legal or not after reading the list of what Salazar's athletes were taking during the Olympics made me sick. Assuming it was all legit it's still not ethical when coaches are searching for substances that are not yet banned to feed to their athletes. It's shameful!
The baton being snatched from Meb. I don't think so.
Its too bad you feel that way. As long as something is legal, and you take it (assuming it does not harm or is not known to harm your health), its ethical, at least in my opinion. How is it not? How about the utilization of mega doses of supplements? How bout a diet that alkalizes the blood, or one that maximizes capillary blood flow (by inhibition of the Rouleaux effect)? How bout carbo loading before marathons? Remember the DMSO craze for injury management many years ago? How bout the cooling jackets that reduce core temp on hot days? How about electrolyte management drinks? From what I can see, the stuff that Rupp was taking is legal, and pretty innocuous. And it may or may not help. Everyone is looking for an edge, from the type of shoes worn, to diet, to supplements, to injury prevention. No harm, no foul as long as as its legal.
It's interesting how reasonable people with the same information can come to different conclusions about what's ethical. My take is that in coaching his athletes on how to obtain and use prescription medications for their performance-enhancing side effects that Salazar has stepped over the ethical line. This isn't all about supplements. I don't see the manipulation of inhalers and thyroid medication as being in the gray area. It's outright cheating.