Craig Masback tries to guide track through steroid woes...

[paulmerca]

Go to:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics ... rack_x.htm

[basehead617]

Re: Craig Masback tries to guide track through steroid woes.

this part disturbs me:

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Q: But will there ever be a day when we know competitors are drug free?

A: I think there's a day, when science reaches a higher plateau, where with athletes who reach a certain standard we're going to be able to say you've got to submit to some endocrinological, biological profile that will be part of a database that every testing agency has. And science will be able to show any deviation from that represents the use of performance-enhancing substance. It just doesn't seem that far of an extension from where we are.
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at that point, why dont we just not even have races? we can just race profiles and know who's going to win beforehand.

[runninfool]

Re: Craig Masback tries to guide track through steroid woes.

Whatever the profiles say, it will come down to intangibles: the courage of an athlete on a particular day, or their wisdom (or luck) in managing to peak at the right time. So many examples exist where the profile wouldn't indicate victory for a particular individual over another.

And you could argue that what drugs do is cut into the possibility that the courage or preparation of an athlete may win the day --

Sure, you can argue that if all are equally drugged (or have the opportunity to be equally drugged, just as they have the opportunity to train equally hard), then the intangibles will still come into play. (I realize I'm going beyond the question you raised.)

Maybe it comes down to whether we as fans agree to considering drugs as one more area of striving and achievement, worth evaluating athletes on -- just as we now appraise them for their innate talent, their hard work in training, and their ability to peak at certain times.

[basehead617]

Re: Craig Masback tries to guide track through steroid woes.

we have an entire thread on this that i started called 'clean vs dirty' down below.. so i won't rehash. but clearly two people training full time taking the same amount of supplements and/or illegal substances will still not be 'equal' because one is likely more naturally advantaged.. (not even counting the degrees to which they variously respond to types of training and drugs)