Do you think the use of steroids is morally wrong?
UMMM I think that the idea behind
steroid use is two fold.
The first is to create a level playing field.
I think that that idea is really a good idea in theory but in practice it is poorly executed.
poorly executed
Umm when they draw this arbitrary line of what's legal and what's illegal
and when you can use
a potentially illegal substance
they open the field to make it even more uneven. Um so for example
the thyroid disorder medication in elite
running groups they have a team doctor that will diagnose all of the athletes with thyroid disorder.
so that they can legally be taking thyroid medication.
So this idea that this medication should only be there
for those who need it to make a more even playing field, actually makes it a more uneven playing field.
because the group that have the resources, the doctors who are willing to diagnose the thyroid disorder
get the medication, get the advantage.
Those who don't have it that advantage are actually left with a more severe disadvantage.
the other side of it would be
the organizations don't want you to do permanate damage to your body with these substances that can
cause long term damage.  Umm again you kinda run
into an issue of where do we draw the line here at that point soooo
practice on its own, at least in terms of distance running, is essentially doing damage to your body.
Every day you go out and do a workout you
need recovery from that because you've done damage to your body.  That's what the idea behind any exercise is that
you're breaking down muscle to rebuild
it and have it rebuild stronger
Ummmm so if you're talking about long term damage
should we be practicing are you gonna limit how hard you can practice
Are you gonna limit how hard and how much people can do to themselves uh if so
it is just a really hard line to draw.  It's a really good theory, but to tell people exactly what they can
and can't do to their body is a really
gray area with tough moral implications.
