Topic: News: Dwain Chambers reveals full extent of drug testing's failures

[Matt Rupiper]

Owen,

i fully understand your stance on the issue.  I urge you to dive deeper into my post.  What is the one thing in common amongst everyone that is accused of or gets caught doping.......Money (i don't care about recreational/bodybuilder use, they can do what they want).

Notice Mr. Chambers had been signed to a professional contract (MONEY!!).  Why don't USA and Canadians get caught?  They probably (grain of salt) don't take them....why? NO MONEY!!! Why do europeans/bulgarians/chinese probably take them, they and their families are usually supported financially by their country.  There's a lot more on the line then.  The US doesn't take care about it's Olympic weightlifters? Right Chris?

The Major sports...MLB, NBA, NFL....Lots of money/incentive to succeed/use of performance enhancers.

 One question about less lifters being caught.....Bulgaria, Greece?  Whole teams? You may want to reevaluate your thought.  As for a relativity count, if two whole teams get caught, or about 20....that's a HUGE percentage compared to 104 players in the MLB.

Again, I ask, where do we draw the line?  Beta blockers, ridalin, cortisone injections, lasik eye surgery?  Just cause it's illegal/legal, does that make it right our wrong?

[Paul LaDuke]

Matt,

You have raised the question "Where do we draw the line?" 

My opinion (worthless as it may be) is that WADA, USADA, and other national ADA's collectively draw the line on any and all supplements, drugs and chemicals that are harmful to the human body.  The ADA's collective role as a governing body is to protect the athlete from themselves and to protect the young and innocent athletes who are forced to or unwillingly given substances by evil coaches or evil governments.

In reality, what you eat is performance enhancing.  Lifting weights is performance enhancing.  Sleeping is performance enhancing.  But all of these activities are healthy activities.  There is nothing wrong with enhancing performance.  But the use of substances that knowingly cause long term damage for a short term gain is morally unacceptable.  In my opinion any coach, government and athlete caught using illegal drugs (even years later) should be stripped of all accolades and awards that they ever received and banned from any further competition or coaching!

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

"Right Chris?"

I just don't know what you are asking me. My guess is you are asking whether using steroids in the USA as a weightlifter will pay off in economic terms and you expect me to say no. If that is the case, then yes, I agree it will not pay off because there is no money in weightlifting and there is not enough support to get away with doping in the USA on the international level. Now, this opens the door to the whole, tired argument that we once used fairly systematically in the 70's and still didn't win many medals. This argument is correct and flawed at the same time based on the same argument. We didn't win despite the doping at that time because we were not training properly to take advantage of the drugs.

Peace. *Chris goes to watch tonight's Lost episode from his hard drive.*

[Matt Rupiper]

Chris,

I was saying the the USA does not take care of it's lifters the way other countries do. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding.  Other countries show high accolade toward their lifters.  Ask any lay person to name the best american weightlifter and they'd name some powerlifter from Westside.

Paul,

How do we know these cause long term harm?  If using bodybuilders, or individuals such as Lyle Alzado, or the young man that committed suicide in texas (also on SSRI's, that's another story) as examples, that's just ignorant. We can't use the individuals that have 'stacked' for years on god knows what in doses meant for hippos.

If these (substances) are used in moderation, there are very good benefits, health and performance-wise....will we ever know...nope...why not? The propoganda of the harm they produce (Randomized control studies?) and the government (and we know how smart they are).

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

Chris,

I was saying the the USA does not take care of it's lifters the way other countries do. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding.  Other countries show high accolade toward their lifters.  Ask any lay person to name the best american weightlifter and they'd name some powerlifter from Westside.

Oh. Yes. That is all true. I couldn't name any westside powerlifter at all. Ask the public to name a weightlifter. Who will they name? Maybe Arnold?

I have no concern for any of these matters whatsoever personally, anymore. As an objectivist, I see much bigger problems and now pretty much just have to agree with the people who speak of weightlifting as a noble activity taken up by noble people across the world in their own garage for its own sake regardless of accolades and awards.

What a great sport weightlifting is.

[Stephen Georgiou]

just have to agree with the people who speak of weightlifting as a noble activity taken up by noble people across the world in their own garage for its own sake regardless of accolades and awards.

What a great sport weightlifting is.

amen!

[David Woodhouse]

Chris,

I was saying the the USA does not take care of it's lifters the way other countries do. Sorry if there was a misunderstanding.  Other countries show high accolade toward their lifters.  Ask any lay person to name the best american weightlifter and they'd name some powerlifter from Westside.

Oh. Yes. That is all true. I couldn't name any westside powerlifter at all. Ask the public to name a weightlifter. Who will they name? Maybe Arnold?

I have no concern for any of these matters whatsoever personally, anymore. As an objectivist, I see much bigger problems and now pretty much just have to agree with the people who speak of weightlifting as a noble activity taken up by noble people across the world in their own garage for its own sake regardless of accolades and awards.

What a great sport weightlifting is.

THe greatest sport ever conceived.

[Chris Ⓐ LeRoux]

THe greatest sport ever conceived.

That MAY be true. I do indeed like American football a great deal- the true modern equivalent IMO to Roman gladiators. But now we find out there is inherent brain damage for every little concussion. I think this is very serious and the game has to be revolutionized. I think the helmets have to be much of the problem but I am not an expert on brain trauma obviously. I also really like MMA fighting. Its pure. Still, it is a bit much at rare moments when elbows to the defenseless head fly quick and are stopped too late.

For the level of safety and humanity, weightlifting clearly rules all- except maybe the short sprints IMO. It requires the same courage and sacrifice but without these irrational risks.