Thursday, February 15, 2007

DRUG TESTS


CAPTION: Pictured above is positive drug user, and professional baseball player Barry Bonds



Steroids. Pain Killers. Drugs. They are so common now in the sports world it is ridiculous. When somebody breaks a record now and days, you can't help to wait to see if it was a legal win or not. Last year, the Tour De France winner, Floyd Landis had to give down his tophy for testing positive to two drug tests. Barry Bonds, a baseball record holder is fighting to prove that he was innocent in his drug tests. Some other postive testers in baseball were Mark McGuire, Jose Canseco, and Darryl Strawberry. Then you look at sports such as track and even basketball. World record holder Marion Jones had her olympic medal taken away for drugs two years ago. It is sad. So sad. That these professionals can not just be great. They have to be great but cheat to get there. How does that make us feel that have looked up to them since we were little and are in college competing so one day we can be just as good as them or even better. But why would we want to be like them since they are just a lie. This is why the NCAA performs random drug tests each couple of months. And the target sports are always track and baseball. It just stinks. But it is something all of us college athletes have to do. Wake up at 6 in the morning and pea in a cup. But who cares. If that is what it takes to prove to younger kids that they can get to the professional level by pure talent. Just working hard and doing what is right and not taking the easy way out.

1 comment:

DBrower said...

Hi, Ms Leigh,

I appreciate your intentions, but it appears to me you need to check some things a little more clearly before posting.

First, Bonds isn't fighting to prove any tests wrong. He had a failed test for amphetamines last year, resulting in his being subject to more tests this year as his only consequence, and he's not fighting it procedurally. He never tested positive for the steroids that are what most people think of with the BALCO case.

Second, Landis has not "had to give down is tophy". His case is not resolved either way, and he is actively fighting the conclusion of the ostensibily positive tests. By appearances, he has a good case to make in his behalf. Details on this can be found at a site that tracks his case thoroughly, trust but verify.

Third, a point of clarification. For the most part, most who follow closely believe that sports doping isn't an "easy way out" -- those who do it are almost always working hard, and suffering as much as the other athletes. They may be getting results their bodies and genetics don't deserve, but there is nothing "easy" about it.

TBV