Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2017 16:45:30 GMT
Aug 16, 2017 16:13:17 GMT @manlystanley said:
Well I would ban every single drug cheat for life, no questions asked, you fail a drug test, and your 'b' sample is positive too, you're out, don't even think about trying to appeal or give us your sob stories. I'd also have them arrested, and on trial for fraud. Then when that is over, I'd freeze their bank accounts, and make them repay every single competitor they ever cheated out of money.What I wouldn't do, is say "oh, don't worry about that tiny indiscretion when you defrauded thousands of players and many more spectators out of millions of dollars on a deceit that spanned over 10 years... here's a wild card for the US Open, you 'earned' it!"
Can you imagine if the Olympics gave wildcards to drug cheats like Ben Johnson or Justin Gatlin if they hadn't qualified, or the Tour De France gave a wildcard to Lance Armstrong? Wouldn't happen. So why is it okay to give Sharapova a free pass when she hasn't earned it?
I abhor doping in sports and it appalls me that whenever the subject comes up there are always people who say that since it is impossible to stop doping completely, might as well legalise it. Having said that, in a sport like tennis (unlike racing or swimming or cycling) I don't think the drugs alone will give you such a big advantage - you still need talent, and lots of it!
The same with football. I remember having a discussion on the old boards with somebody who dismissed Maradona's entire career because he was caught in a doping scandal. It wasn't the drugs that made him the best player of his generation and arguably one of the best ever.
Of course you need talent as well, but when you are taking PEDs you can train for longer, your recovery times are better, you can do more strength work, more cardio work, work on your speed, work on your technique for longer, it is just going to give you an edge in every way possible, physically and mentally.
Maradona was a genius, but cocaine was his problem, if anything I think that would hinder you in a sport like football. I certainly don't think it was drugs in his case that made him possibly the greatest player that ever lived. I think in the 94 world cup, he was taking performance enhancers, but that was really to get himself in shape as he was getting old and his lifestyle had obviously taken its toll. Of course, he has to be banned at this point, but I would say in Maradona's case it wasn't the drugs that made him a great player.