Author Topic: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports  (Read 6296 times)

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Universe Prince

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should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« on: January 16, 2008, 09:02:33 PM »
Personally, I think the answer is yes. Anyway, there was pretty good a debate about this issue, and a website called Intelligence Squared has the transcript. It is a PDF, unfortunately, but if you're interested in reading the debate, here is the link: http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/TranscriptContainer/PerformanceEnhancingDrugs%20011508.pdf

I'm biased, of course, but the guys arguing in favor performance enhancing drugs apparently were at least somewhat persuasive. An Associated Press article claims "Before the nearly two-hour debate began, 63 percent of audience members indicated they were for prohibition and 18 percent believed the drugs should be allowed, with the rest undecided. Afterward, 59 percent said they should be banned, and 37 percent said they should be permitted." http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20080115-1839-dopingdebate.html
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Plane

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2008, 09:09:23 PM »
Could it be allowed in a special class of athletics?

So that people who didn't want to ruin their health could still be competitive in their own league.

kimba1

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2008, 09:13:23 PM »
plane
 I think that exact how it should be done.
those two catagories shouldn`t mix at all.


Universe Prince

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #3 on: January 16, 2008, 09:14:55 PM »
I don't know why that would be needed, but sure, if someone wanted to create it and maintain it, I'm sure it could happen.
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Universe Prince

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #4 on: January 16, 2008, 09:15:41 PM »

those two catagories shouldn`t mix at all.


Why?
Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.
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Michael Tee

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #5 on: January 16, 2008, 09:25:09 PM »
If you have a two-tiered (drugged and drug-free) you're gonna have a lot of people seriously fucking themselves up on the drug side. 

Normally I don't favour drug prohibition - - in the case of mind-altering drugs, I think it's just another intolerable form of state mind-control.

Sporting events, though, are public spectacles.  If we allow these morons to fuck themselves up for the spectacle with drugs, what's the difference between that and gladiatorial combat where people fucked themselves up with swords, all for the spectacle?

I'm against drugs in sports - - nobody should be allowed to compete if he or she is sick, so all competition should be between healthy and drug-free athletes.  When the winner gets his or her medal, we'll at least know that Pfizer didn't deserve any part of it, it's all tribute to the winner and nobody else.

hnumpah

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #6 on: January 17, 2008, 12:13:03 AM »
No drugs in competition, but hey, I'm all for bringing back gladiators.
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Michael Tee

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #7 on: January 17, 2008, 12:27:47 AM »
I've got a limited appreciation for gladiatorial combat, but I admit, I would have loved to see it applied at the national leader level - - George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld vs. Saddam Hussein, Chemical Ali and Uday, mano-a-mano or with broadswords.  Last man standing.  Think of all the lives that could have been saved at the cost of only five worthless pieces of shit.

Amianthus

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #8 on: January 17, 2008, 01:05:36 AM »
I've got a limited appreciation for gladiatorial combat, but I admit, I would have loved to see it applied at the national leader level - - George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld vs. Saddam Hussein, Chemical Ali and Uday, mano-a-mano or with broadswords.  Last man standing.  Think of all the lives that could have been saved at the cost of only five worthless pieces of shit.

Patton proposed the same thing North Africa. From the movie:

Quote
You know, Dick, if I had my way, I'd meet Rommel face to face; him in his tank and me in mine. We'd meet out there somewhere... salute each other, maybe drink a toast, then we'd button up and do battle. The winner would decide the outcome of the entire war.

Purportedly, the actual quote was:

Quote
The two armies could watch. I'd shoot at him, he'd shoot at me. If I killed him, I'd be the champ. If he killed me - well he won't.

The movie quote was much more dramatic...
Do not anticipate trouble, or worry about what may never happen. Keep in the sunlight. (Benjamin Franklin)

Universe Prince

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #9 on: January 17, 2008, 01:08:05 AM »

Sporting events, though, are public spectacles.  If we allow these morons to fuck themselves up for the spectacle with drugs, what's the difference between that and gladiatorial combat where people fucked themselves up with swords, all for the spectacle?


Well, at least as I understand it, usually gladiators didn't have a whole lot of choice in the matter. And a person choosing to use drugs so he can swing a bat harder or run faster seems, to me, obviously different than a fight to the death with swords. But then, I think you're being unfair to assume that using performance enhancing drugs is equal to f---ing oneself up.


I'm against drugs in sports - - nobody should be allowed to compete if he or she is sick, so all competition should be between healthy and drug-free athletes.  When the winner gets his or her medal, we'll at least know that Pfizer didn't deserve any part of it, it's all tribute to the winner and nobody else.


So, you're against, say, a football quarterback having, say, a broken thumb and playing anyway, probably with some modicum of painkillers involved?
Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.
--Hieronymus Karl Frederick Baron von Munchausen ("The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" [1988])--

Universe Prince

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #10 on: January 17, 2008, 01:08:41 AM »
Your reality, sir, is lies and balderdash and I'm delighted to say that I have no grasp of it whatsoever.
--Hieronymus Karl Frederick Baron von Munchausen ("The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" [1988])--

Plane

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #11 on: January 17, 2008, 02:03:50 AM »
I've got a limited appreciation for gladiatorial combat, but I admit, I would have loved to see it applied at the national leader level - - George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld vs. Saddam Hussein, Chemical Ali and Uday, mano-a-mano or with broadswords.  Last man standing.  Think of all the lives that could have been saved at the cost of only five worthless pieces of shit.

Patton proposed the same thing North Africa. From the movie:

Quote
You know, Dick, if I had my way, I'd meet Rommel face to face; him in his tank and me in mine. We'd meet out there somewhere... salute each other, maybe drink a toast, then we'd button up and do battle. The winner would decide the outcome of the entire war.

Purportedly, the actual quote was:

Quote
The two armies could watch. I'd shoot at him, he'd shoot at me. If I killed him, I'd be the champ. If he killed me - well he won't.

The movie quote was much more dramatic...


[][][][][][][][][][]

I once proposed a simular idea to my father , he told me that FDR might have had a hard time fighting an Axis leader that could walk.

The_Professor

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #12 on: January 17, 2008, 07:38:34 AM »
Personally, I think the answer is yes. Anyway, there was pretty good a debate about this issue, and a website called Intelligence Squared has the transcript. It is a PDF, unfortunately, but if you're interested in reading the debate, here is the link: http://www.intelligencesquaredus.org/TranscriptContainer/PerformanceEnhancingDrugs%20011508.pdf

I'm biased, of course, but the guys arguing in favor performance enhancing drugs apparently were at least somewhat persuasive. An Associated Press article claims "Before the nearly two-hour debate began, 63 percent of audience members indicated they were for prohibition and 18 percent believed the drugs should be allowed, with the rest undecided. Afterward, 59 percent said they should be banned, and 37 percent said they should be permitted." http://www.signonsandiego.com/sports/20080115-1839-dopingdebate.html


I suppose I am a pessimist on this issue, but I have believed for quite some time that these drugs permeate sports, so this "report" et al is very hypocritical. Even the Marion Jones "deal" is a joke from that perspective, other than she got caught. I played high school football (no, not the wuss flag boys and girls) and it was common then and that was back in the early 70s.
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hnumpah

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #13 on: January 17, 2008, 09:44:39 AM »
Why? Already we've had scandals involving pro athletes taking steroids and other drugs to try and gain a competitive advantage. Others see it works for them, so they start doing it - college athletes, high school athletes... There have already been reports of that happening. These kids have no idea what kind of problems they can face later on for their steroid use now - heart and other medical problems, mood changes, 'roid rage, and so on.

Who was the latest pro wrestler that made the headlines when he died, I can't remember his name? I do remember details slowly came out about his steroid use, and large amounts being found at his home. Then the stories began coming out about his anger management problems, probably due to steroid use. I have no problem if these adults want to risk killing themselves with this crap. I do have a problem with kids using it, with no idea what the risks are, and I do have a problem with anyone using drugs that can make them more violent towards other people.

The last reason, and probably the least important to me, is the competitive advantage people get from them. However, if a person can be kept from participating in a sport because they wear prosthetic legs that might give them an advantage, though they pose no risk to himself or others, then steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs should certainly be banned.
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hnumpah

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Re: should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports
« Reply #14 on: January 17, 2008, 10:03:28 AM »
Quote
I've got a limited appreciation for gladiatorial combat, but I admit, I would have loved to see it applied at the national leader level - - George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld vs. Saddam Hussein, Chemical Ali and Uday, mano-a-mano or with broadswords.  Last man standing.  Think of all the lives that could have been saved at the cost of only five worthless pieces of shit.

Only problem is, the leaders that are all for war generally prefer to send others to fight for them.
"I love WikiLeaks." - Donald Trump, October 2016