Topic: News: Weightlifting still struggling to escape its sordid history

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Alright, thanks for sharing. But, lets get back on topic now. And there is always the off-topic forum.

[Andy Dick]

Here is my 2 cents take it for what its worth.  I think to say we are hypocritical for doing something then taking it back becasue others start to get the same thing may be too much.  To stay on topic, for example steroids, we make something to get an edge, we get that edge then others start getting that edge and we say it is wrong, to me, is true to an extent but still an over simplification of the problem.  This is because that negates the facts that we make this substance, then realize after the fact (even if told by doctors before hand that it was bad) that it was really bad and we made a bad decsision.  At this point since time has to pass before something is realized the ramifacations of the problem others have already started to pick it up.  They want the power that we created even though it is a bad power.  Same being true for nuclear weapons after its use I am sure there were those that realized we opened a terrible door.  This does not really make us a hypocrite because it is called learning from our mistakes.  This will never end though because there will always be someone willing to try anything to become superior over others, its is human nature.  Now, this factors into the US and world governing bodies trying to control these things for a couple reasons.  One the obvious like you said was to hold others down, there will always be these people but that is not everyone.  Others realize that this is a mistake and we do not want that mistake to spread to other peoples even more than it has.  Another aspect which I think is really strong against doping, which actually curtails us becoming hypocrites, is trying to keep it from spreading like we are doing now and keeping it from getting worse.  

Here is my reasoning.  If you allow steroid use the next obvious question is where does it end?  There will be even greater push to find the next best thing and more and more overuse to become the best.  It will not longer be what can we do to make more efficient technique or find a better periodization but become what is the best drug to get the fastest or greatest gains.  What will be the next medical substance or breakthrough or who can make the best drug coctail to make better superior humans, possibly no matter what the costs to health.  It happened already with steriods in the first place why would it stop?  To me the doping laws are in place because we opened this pandoras box and now we have to find a way to control it so it does not move down this road I just explained.  We are trying in our way to try to even the playing field again.  Thus trying to prevent us from making another mistake that we have to say this was a bad idea then try to come up with a way to fix it by controlling others that saw what we did and tried to emulate it (so in essence we are trying to prevent having to be looked at as hypocrites once again).  Remember human nature is to always try to excel so there will always be those that will be looking for the next best thing to improve performance by unnatural means.  But the rules are in place to hopefully slow this down and hopefully convince others to follow the rules and avoid going down this road.  Also, to keep sport pure not just a drug or medical enhancement race.

[Mark Winchester Sr]

Alright, thanks for sharing. But, lets get back on topic now. And there is always the off-topic forum.

Done.  All my future rants will be done in the off-topic section. 

[Brooke Burkhalter]

Can something as follows be implemented or is it being done already?

Say, you want to compete in the 2008 Oly Games. Why can't the IWF, WADA, etc. impose a minimum of say three completely random tests within 365 days of the competition. Randomly spaced out tests or two back to back, etc. that if the particular lifter does not submit to the minimum of three random tests within 365 days of the competition they do not compete.

That way say if you are Ilya Illin and you have not competed in a year presumably due to injury, don't feel like it, etc. you will not be able to sit at the homeland and train under the guise of injury and load up on juice without getting caught. Not saying he is or has done that just using him as an example.

This scenario could go for any major competition and could presumably induce enough fear that they will not be able to take anything at all during the year seeing as how they will not know when they will be tested. 

[AlekoKouva]

that already happens

[Jim Storch]

It just amazes me how we white american males decide morality for the world.

Mark,

So, how long have you been doing this, and why are you trying to include me in it?  I'm considered a "white American male" and I don't do this, so who are the "we" you speak of?

Jim

(sorry Chris I simply chose not to resist the compulsion)

[Brooke Burkhalter]

that already happens

How do they get around it then? How do they do drugs and pass the tests if they are doing them?

I do not believe Bulgaria, Turkey, Kazakhstan, etc. have the money to develop drugs that are not capable of being detected like we do here in the US. Like Victor Conte did.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

(sorry Chris I simply chose not to resist the compulsion)

        

Alright Jim, WE will let Mark have one more rant to answer your question but I reserve the right to lock and/or split the thread at some point. Since he is going to get another off-topic rant, I am kind of wondering why he is getting educated in a country he hates and thinks is so stupid.



Mark, I'm also still wondering if you agree that a private sport organization has the right to set rules as it sees fit.