Okay, maybe this message belongs on the THG board, maybe not -- I'll let Ben, GH and Dan decide that --. But, I am a bit concerned about the direction that the BALCO case seems to be headed on a legislative front.
If I read this clearly, here is the premise - congress and/or USOC will get the opportunity to see documents from the BALCO case. If they see an athletes name on the list and that athlete is said to have recieved drugs from BALCO, then that athlete will not be allowed to compete. Never mind that the athlete has not tested positive. But, all of the sudden the legislature wants to make sure that sport is clean and heavan forbid that there are any black eyes as a result of failed tests in Athens.
I do support our sports drug programs, I would like to see the sport as clean as possible and I'm not a bleeding heart liberal. But what about due process? What about the damage of the lawsuits from athletes booted off the team when they hadn't tested positive? What about the double standard of an olympian being denied the ability to earn a living; but, Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, et al keep being praised as gods in their sport(s)?
I'm worried about a witch hunt at the expense of Olympic athletes (and T&F atheltes in particular) for the price of election year feel good efforts. In the end, it sort of reminds me of 1980 and the Olympic boycott. Lot's of posturing, lots of action that negatively affected sports and no long term positive result from all the bs.
In the end though, it appears as though we (T&F) will get screwed regardless of what we do. By having a program that is stricter than many sports, we look dirty because we actually catch and punish people. If we take the stance of baseball, no one will believe the performances becuase they are obviously juiced (but isn't it funny how quickly everyone is to look past Bond's as he approaches Ruth and Aaron). If we get too harsh with testing and punishment, we run the risk of civil liberty and unfair labor practice suits.
In the end, I still love the sport. I love to compete. I love to spectate. It's still a great sport to be involved with.
That's why I'm so frustrated that our sport seems to be on the verge of being punished at a level that isn't going to be experienced by others.
If I read this clearly, here is the premise - congress and/or USOC will get the opportunity to see documents from the BALCO case. If they see an athletes name on the list and that athlete is said to have recieved drugs from BALCO, then that athlete will not be allowed to compete. Never mind that the athlete has not tested positive. But, all of the sudden the legislature wants to make sure that sport is clean and heavan forbid that there are any black eyes as a result of failed tests in Athens.
I do support our sports drug programs, I would like to see the sport as clean as possible and I'm not a bleeding heart liberal. But what about due process? What about the damage of the lawsuits from athletes booted off the team when they hadn't tested positive? What about the double standard of an olympian being denied the ability to earn a living; but, Barry Bonds, Gary Sheffield, et al keep being praised as gods in their sport(s)?
I'm worried about a witch hunt at the expense of Olympic athletes (and T&F atheltes in particular) for the price of election year feel good efforts. In the end, it sort of reminds me of 1980 and the Olympic boycott. Lot's of posturing, lots of action that negatively affected sports and no long term positive result from all the bs.
In the end though, it appears as though we (T&F) will get screwed regardless of what we do. By having a program that is stricter than many sports, we look dirty because we actually catch and punish people. If we take the stance of baseball, no one will believe the performances becuase they are obviously juiced (but isn't it funny how quickly everyone is to look past Bond's as he approaches Ruth and Aaron). If we get too harsh with testing and punishment, we run the risk of civil liberty and unfair labor practice suits.
In the end, I still love the sport. I love to compete. I love to spectate. It's still a great sport to be involved with.
That's why I'm so frustrated that our sport seems to be on the verge of being punished at a level that isn't going to be experienced by others.
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