Sun 3 Aug 2008
Beijing Olympics, steroid use, DNA testing, and Marion Jones
Posted by venagozar under Choices, thoughts
No Comments
I do not wish to sling mud, but the International Olympic Committee which stripped Marion Jones of her medals, may be throwing out the baby with the wash. They still have not decided who is worthy of the medals and redistribution of medals may not happen at the Beijing Olympics as many are hoping.
One of the athletes who stand to receive a gold medal stripped from Marion Jones, is, “…currently locked in a bitter dispute with the IOC over her eligibility to compete at the Beijing Games. …drugs rules violations after she missed a drugs test.”, according to an article by Karolos Grohmann - BEIJING, Aug 1 (Reuters). Another story released on the same afternoon, says she has been cleared and will compete.
Doing a quick search on the keywords, ’steroid banned athletes beijing’ is the web version of opening Pandora’s box. Articles on world class Olympic athletes either testing positive or being banned for steroid use goes on for pages. Now that there is swim-wear for those that can afford it shave even more time off of incredibly fast times, it brings forth a nagging little thought about what the real difference is between steroids and a suit? On the side of steroids, they at least are available to almost any athlete.
Beijing this year, as in Olympic games of past years are sending very mixed messages. This year I read that some athletes can expect to have their DNA tested to determine what their real sex is. Being inspected in the nude is not proof enough of your sexual identity any longer. Makes steroid use a rather moot point when addressed from this level, don’t you agree?
I have to ask myself again, if I were a world class athlete where rumors are rampant that many of the world class athletes I am going to compete against are potentially using steroids, what would I do? There are only two real forks in the decision from my perspective. Use steroids and hope you are not found out, or do not use steroids and diffuse into the land of could have been, working a McJob, knowing you lost your shot at fame to someone who is as likely to have used steroids than not. When I think deeply about using steroids or not as a fantasy land world class athlete, it all comes down to leveling the playing field. The field is either level or it is not. Not being found out for steroid use does not make the field level, and possibly losing out to someone who has probably used steroids provides no satisfaction either.
Again back to Marion Jones and her situation. Marion Jones is serving penance for every athlete who either has or is bending or breaking all published rules in an ever more difficult quest to keep up with the pack. It still feels as if there was no justice in this situation. The sporting news was and is rife with many other athletes who either confessed to steroid use, or voluntarily stepped down from their sport and laughed all the way to the bank. What was accomplished by the sentencing Marion Jones received really?
The law was followed in one case and ignored in a number of others. Of course other names attached to steroid use are not important, after all they are just one name among many, it is safer after all when you are a part of the herd. The message from professional sports appears to be it is not the right thing to do, to really take a stand on steroid use and abuse in professional sports. The message I still see in all this controversy is once again, what matters is whether you are found out, not whether or not you committed the crime. If you are found out, then it may become a matter of simple economics. The world in general is very comfortable with law and economics.
