In this article, IAAF head Lamine Diack called Marion Jones "one of the biggest frauds in sporting history." Jones admitted she was using steroids during the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, where she won three gold medals in track & field. The Olympic committee is currently considering stripping Jones of her medals.
First, I commend Jones for her honesty about using performance-enhancing drugs. That doesn't mean I condone what she did, but it's better than her making stupid excuses, like someone slipped steroids in her drink or needle-popped her at a party (excuses I've heard from other Olympic athletes who tested positive for steroids).
Second, I would like to point out that one of the greatest track & field stars in U.S. history, Florence Griffith-Joyner (a.k.a. FloJo) won three gold medals at the 1988 Olympics. Because of this accomplishment, she was dogged by rumors that she used performance-enhancing drugs. And while the Olympic committee didn't start mandatory drug testing until 1989, there was never any evidence in subsequent tests that she'd used steroids. Even when she died in 1998, there was speculation that her premature death was caused by steroid use (it wasn't -- the autopsy and coroner stated her cause of death as a congenital brain defect). Despite not being allowed to run post-mortem tests for human growth hormone on FloJo's body, authorities stated there was no indication of any past or present steroid or drug use.
What I'm getting at here is that any athlete who excels in their sport, breaks records, and dominates events at the Olympics is subject to this sort of speculation. We've gotten to the point where any amazing athletic performance is suspect -- we don't believe that some athletes naturally possess an unnatural talent and can do amazing things without the aid of steroids. And admitted steroid users like Ben Johnson and Marion Jones only make that worse (Johnson, it should be noted, tested positive for steroids at the same Olympics where FloJo won her three gold medals).
So not only does steroid use blacken the names of the athletes who use them, but it calls into question the integrity of every athlete who performs beyond anybody's expectations. This is one reason I am adamantly opposed to legalizing steroid use in any sport.
Original Story:
http://enews.earthlink.net/article/spo?g....
First, I commend Jones for her honesty about using performance-enhancing drugs. That doesn't mean I condone what she did, but it's better than her making stupid excuses, like someone slipped steroids in her drink or needle-popped her at a party (excuses I've heard from other Olympic athletes who tested positive for steroids).
Second, I would like to point out that one of the greatest track & field stars in U.S. history, Florence Griffith-Joyner (a.k.a. FloJo) won three gold medals at the 1988 Olympics. Because of this accomplishment, she was dogged by rumors that she used performance-enhancing drugs. And while the Olympic committee didn't start mandatory drug testing until 1989, there was never any evidence in subsequent tests that she'd used steroids. Even when she died in 1998, there was speculation that her premature death was caused by steroid use (it wasn't -- the autopsy and coroner stated her cause of death as a congenital brain defect). Despite not being allowed to run post-mortem tests for human growth hormone on FloJo's body, authorities stated there was no indication of any past or present steroid or drug use.
What I'm getting at here is that any athlete who excels in their sport, breaks records, and dominates events at the Olympics is subject to this sort of speculation. We've gotten to the point where any amazing athletic performance is suspect -- we don't believe that some athletes naturally possess an unnatural talent and can do amazing things without the aid of steroids. And admitted steroid users like Ben Johnson and Marion Jones only make that worse (Johnson, it should be noted, tested positive for steroids at the same Olympics where FloJo won her three gold medals).
So not only does steroid use blacken the names of the athletes who use them, but it calls into question the integrity of every athlete who performs beyond anybody's expectations. This is one reason I am adamantly opposed to legalizing steroid use in any sport.
Original Story:
http://enews.earthlink.net/article/spo?g....
