John Scott, the Director of Drug Free Sports at UK Sport, welcomed cooperation from sprinter Dwain Chambers and Victor Conte in sharing details of a sophisticated BALCO performance enhancing drug stack (“Statement regarding Dwain Chambers meeting,” May 16).
Through the letter which Dwain handed to us, he has provided a detailed account of his doping programme which highlights the level of sophistication that goes these systematic regimes. It is through this sort of information that we are able to better understand both the mindset of why athletes choose that path and the network that sits behind them. It is these networks of manufacture, trafficking and supply that we need to be able to tap into if we are to get to the heart of doping in sport.
Victor Conte (in a letter to sprinter Dwain Chambers) explained how easy it is for athletes to thwart anti-doping drug testers, even without designer steroids, using short acting steroids and performance enhancing drugs. It is called the “duck and dodge” technique (“Conte’s prescription for success,” May 16).
The Real Reason Why the Barry Bonds Witch-Hunt Was a Waste of Money
If you think the government’s prosecution of Barry Bonds was justified because no on is above the law, perjury is a serious crime, yada, yada, yada, then this article is for you. You are entirely missing the point. The pursuit of Bonds was clearly a witch-hunt. Celebrity athletes who use anabolic steroids were an acceptable target. However, the government could have just as easily targeted an “immoral” behavior other than steroid use…
What if the government targeted prominent Christians and asked them about infidelity under oath? What if they prosecuted those Christians who would inevitably lie to protect their community standing and their families? After all, they did break they law – they committed perjury. Would that have been a good use of taxpayer money?
Why is it any different than the witch-hunt targeting celebrity athletes who use steroids? [Read more...]