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- Sep 7, 2004
How do you feel about professional athletes using steroids? And what do you think the future of sports should look like, as it relates to steroids?
Some of my thoughts:
We need to change how we define "steroids." Most of the drugs referred to as steroids are anabolic steroids but that doesn't mean there aren't people in the world who legally take "steroids" to aid with a number of common health conditions. I really don't think its fair to say anabolic steroids are illegal and corticosteroids are legal. Some might argue that corticosteroids are used to bring people 'back to health' or to allow them to function 'normally.' But who defines normal? I'll grant you the kid who takes Nasonex for his allergies is less "guilty" than the kid who injects himself w/testosterone just to bulk up. But what if the kid using testosterone is naturally limited in the amount of muscle mass he is able to put on? And what if LeBron James is "normal" and the rest of us are abnormal? If its fair for people w/asthma to use steroids so that they can function normally, how is it okay to turn right around and punish skinny athletes for using HGH? You can't say that using anabolic steroids are "less natural" because an athlete w/asthma is truly unnatural. Beyond steroids is DNA modification. Eventually we'll isolate all of the genes responsible for height and parents will start messing w/their unborn children's DNA in order to give them the best chance at succeeding in basketball or w/e.
Either we don't allow anyone to play professional sports who has ever used any form of steroids or DNA modification, or we let everyone go nuts. I just don't see how you can have it any other way. And w/that in mind I do not like where sports is going.
Some of my thoughts:
We need to change how we define "steroids." Most of the drugs referred to as steroids are anabolic steroids but that doesn't mean there aren't people in the world who legally take "steroids" to aid with a number of common health conditions. I really don't think its fair to say anabolic steroids are illegal and corticosteroids are legal. Some might argue that corticosteroids are used to bring people 'back to health' or to allow them to function 'normally.' But who defines normal? I'll grant you the kid who takes Nasonex for his allergies is less "guilty" than the kid who injects himself w/testosterone just to bulk up. But what if the kid using testosterone is naturally limited in the amount of muscle mass he is able to put on? And what if LeBron James is "normal" and the rest of us are abnormal? If its fair for people w/asthma to use steroids so that they can function normally, how is it okay to turn right around and punish skinny athletes for using HGH? You can't say that using anabolic steroids are "less natural" because an athlete w/asthma is truly unnatural. Beyond steroids is DNA modification. Eventually we'll isolate all of the genes responsible for height and parents will start messing w/their unborn children's DNA in order to give them the best chance at succeeding in basketball or w/e.
Either we don't allow anyone to play professional sports who has ever used any form of steroids or DNA modification, or we let everyone go nuts. I just don't see how you can have it any other way. And w/that in mind I do not like where sports is going.
