I realize it seems counter intuitive, but i’m wondering if implementing age group drug testing at major IM races might actually have the opposite desired effect and actually lead to more age group doping.
why? Because once normal age groupers are finding themselves subjected to testing, the issue, and indeed the temptation, of doping is introduced into the normal dialogue that exists within the triathlon community. On a strictly quantitative scale, the topic of doping would arise more frequently and ultimately would become an internalized discussion for some athletes who would have otherwise never even considered doping.
Furthermore, the exposure of a small number of cheaters among AG athletes could create a generalized cynical attitude about FOP athletes. What i mean by this is, if a small handful of people get caught we might end up with a generalized AG mentality that “all top AGers dope”. I think that would be untrue and potentially harmful as it might, again, drive weaker MOPs individuals to experiment with PED’s.
I suppose what it boils down to is a perversion of the old “no press is bad press” idea. this might be a weird comparison but i can relate my points to the whole Power Cranks debate that goes on here. From what i’ve seen, (and like most i probably don’t read though all 78 pages of the threads) Powercranks get flamed hard every time they are brought up. So why does Frank keep bringing up his product in all these threads? Because he knows that if he keeps the PC topic fresh in the forum’s dialogue, statistically, a small number of people will think to themselves “let me try that and decide for myself”. I wonder if AG testing would inadvertently have the same function.
No it couldn’t.
There is already plenty of news about PEDs, and we already have a sport where many AGers spend an unhealthy amount of time analysing everything the pros do - their equipment, their latest riding position, their training regime, their diet - in an attempt to glean tips to go faster. I’m sure in a small number of cases this may include people looking at pro cyclists and wondering about PEDs. However, I don’t see how more AG testing could possibly do anything other than dissuade the few who even considered doping.
This forum is fairly representative of those who will do almost anything legal to go faster, from spending $000s on the latest bike or gadget to following the ‘more is more’ philosophy to having 5% body fat. And yet there is almost universal condemnation of any hint of breaking the rules and spirit of the sport - be it doping, drafting or any other of the multitude of sins that are discussed. For the vast majority of AGers, even the most competitive, their motives for competing in triathlon are totally incompatible with doping.
I don’t know if testing would tempt more AGers to use PEDs. I think there’s plenty incentive already and my guess is there’s more usage than you’d expect and more coming particularly as more young people enter the sport. Case in point: at my local gym, among hi-schoolers/20 somethings there’s an obsession with ‘nutritioinal supplements’ that’s just taken off in the last 5yrs and guess what? one summer they’re 98 lb weaklings and the next summer they’re fricking Charles Atlas (or Barry Bonds, they probably don’t know Charles Atlas). I can’t say all the supplements are suspect but I think it creates a climate where if you can get bigger/better thru ‘nutrition’, go for it and if you push the envelope a little well…
Concerning the general disapproval of PEDs among the tri-population, well I think if you polled the pro peloton you might get the same response.