I've always felt cheating was black and white. Drafting or using PED's regardless of your motivation or lack of education is cheating. Everyone should be caught and the appropriate sanctions given. The same rules apply to every athlete who signs up and competes regardless of finishing time and the rules apply in and out of competition. I have called the USADA hotline for athletes I suspect are using and are knocking on top finishing places. That has always been my stance.
These recent interactions with people I know using these pellets prescribed by naturopaths, which I'm not a fan of, has blurred some lines that have always been very clear.
As per my original post:
- I sent the article on the risks associated with testosterone supplementation posted in this thread to 2 of the people on my "list". One said thank you, and is not competing at this time but wants to in the future. The other has not used pellets for a few years and he was one of the top 10 athletes.
- The other top 10 finisher is not competing this year. In the future if she does compete again I will likely call USADA but only after I talk to her.
- The one who is ill and wants to race this year has me the most conflicted. I told him its against the rules to train and race with T supplementation. He appreciated the information and truly had no idea. He is healthy now with whatever he's doing though, and to take that away if he wants to race has created that blurry line of right vs wrong for me. He won't podium but he will beat others in the race. He's also healthy for the first time in a few years and excited to test himself.
For the first time ever I'm seeing merit to the idea of having two categories of athletes in our sport like they do in weight lifting. You self declare your intentions when you register and you are identified in results as being recreational or competitive and those two categories are clearly defined. Should the 75 year old finishing a 10k in 88 min be called out for hormone replacement? I don't really think he/ she should. Then again, maybe he's beating another 75 year old who is not using PED's. Our hormones change as we age. That's why we have age group racing. I can't compete against someone 20 years younger than me. (Or most can't.) And hormones are a part of that.
I have learned a lot from the comments above. It is wrong to use PED's no matter what, but I've softened a bit as to who the rules really matter for.
These recent interactions with people I know using these pellets prescribed by naturopaths, which I'm not a fan of, has blurred some lines that have always been very clear.
As per my original post:
- I sent the article on the risks associated with testosterone supplementation posted in this thread to 2 of the people on my "list". One said thank you, and is not competing at this time but wants to in the future. The other has not used pellets for a few years and he was one of the top 10 athletes.
- The other top 10 finisher is not competing this year. In the future if she does compete again I will likely call USADA but only after I talk to her.
- The one who is ill and wants to race this year has me the most conflicted. I told him its against the rules to train and race with T supplementation. He appreciated the information and truly had no idea. He is healthy now with whatever he's doing though, and to take that away if he wants to race has created that blurry line of right vs wrong for me. He won't podium but he will beat others in the race. He's also healthy for the first time in a few years and excited to test himself.
For the first time ever I'm seeing merit to the idea of having two categories of athletes in our sport like they do in weight lifting. You self declare your intentions when you register and you are identified in results as being recreational or competitive and those two categories are clearly defined. Should the 75 year old finishing a 10k in 88 min be called out for hormone replacement? I don't really think he/ she should. Then again, maybe he's beating another 75 year old who is not using PED's. Our hormones change as we age. That's why we have age group racing. I can't compete against someone 20 years younger than me. (Or most can't.) And hormones are a part of that.
I have learned a lot from the comments above. It is wrong to use PED's no matter what, but I've softened a bit as to who the rules really matter for.