Topic: What would you think about a Champion who is likely using?

[Matt Erdman]

So let's take for example a country like U.S. or Canada (you know, just pulling some names out of the air...), and along comes a guy or girl, that starts smashing national records and eventually becomes world champ. When asked about doping, he/she simply smiles and says, "Hey I passed the tests didn't I." It is pretty apparent that this person is using or has used illegal substances.

So what is your reaction?

Results will show after a week, and you can change your vote during that time.

[Shaun Le Conte]

I would give the person the benefit of the doubt. Besides, I think doping should be allowed.

[Erik Blekeberg]

I am against doping. I do understand the whys but, that is no reason as far as I am concerned. I wouldn't string the person up but, I would strip them of awards won. At least in this sport.

The problem comes with the fact that so many sports have been using and not testing for so long that it is stupid to reset scores etc. It is a hard topic and people will always search for the competitive edge.

[Jim Hooper]

I'm to the point where I don't even care who the "champions" are; the international system is so broken in so many ways that I can't get upset about it.  I used to be disgusted, but now I try to be amused, to quote Elvis Costello.    I just admire any lifter (or athlete generally) who is working hard and smart to get better relative to their own prior capacity, or overcoming some obstacle the overcoming of which required moral character, unusual sacrifice, or courage.  I love Steiner's gritty performance after a year of preparing for the Olympics having just lost his wife; Melanie Roach's return from back surgery -- that took real guts; Lance Armstrong's entire saga; the guy who finished Ironman Hawaii as a double amputee; the exploits of guys like David Goggins, a working Navy Seal who gets up at 2:30 a.m. to train, and runs ultramarathons to raise money to send the kids of fallen SF operators to college; and the picture of Chad Vaughan training in a shed behind his inlaws house.   I'd rather have seen (and did see) Casey's improbable, heroic, unforgettable 224 jerk at the Trials to earn the spot-that-wasn't than to have had a front row seat for every podium finisher in Beijing.  That sort of stuff.  But who finished first in Worlds in the 77 class, whether clean, winking, flagrantly cheating, or whatever the case may have been . . . who really knows? . . . and so I have a hard time caring much about it.   

[Paul LaDuke]

and the picture of Chad Vaughan training in a shed behind his inlaws house.   

I really enjoy Chad's story.  I am really inspired by his lifting because of the fact that he was born with a club foot and had reconstructive surgery as and infant to correct it.  If you notice his right calf is much smaller than his left, but he never used it as a crutch!  He used it as motivation and was able to compete on the world's biggest weightlifting stage - the Olympics!  Inspiring story.

[Andy Dick]

I think it is safe to say we all love the comeback story and a great perseverance story.  But I think you can't discount those people that may not have a big story but they trained hard and everything fell in place, without cheating.  Yeah they didn't have a huge heart wrenching drama but the sweat and toiled just as much.  As far as the doper...dude is just a jerk, I think most have come to expect it.  Can one really say that person persevered if they used substances?  Yeah they got the gold but for me at the end of the day I couldn't sleep at night knowing I cheated my way to the top.  Dude basically played the system and won there really isn't much one can do about it.  This happens a lot, you just try to play the game the best you could and hope things workout.

[Jack]

and along comes a guy or girl, that starts smashing national records and eventually becomes world champ. When asked about doping, he/she simply smiles and says, "Hey I passed the tests didn't I." It is pretty apparent that this person is using or has used illegal substances.

There is no hard evidence produced that the athlete in this case used doping, so the achievement is legitimate.

Sjaak

[Olifter]

i wouldn't do anything- because i can't do anything... except for train harder. This is all  we can do, moaning about people taking   steroids aren't going to make them lift any less or make us lift any more.