In 1988, after Carl Lewis was awarded the gold medal in the 100M dash when Ben Johnson tested positive for steroids, (I believe it was) Lewis stated that he was not really that surprised because he just didn't think that it was humanly possible to run the 100m in 9.79 (Johnson's winning time).
In the past 3 years, 2 american’s have euqaled or surpassed that time.
In today’s Houston Chronicle there is a tiny article (which is a true disappointment considering the magnitude of the accusations) that reads as follows:
According to Terry Madden, the chief executive of the US anti-doping agency: "What we have unconverted appears to be intentional doping of the worst sort (...) this is a conspiracy involving chemists, coaches and certain athletes using what they developed to be undetectable designer steroids to defraud their fellow competitors and the American and world public"
The drug in question is known as THG and though no athletes were named, it appears that several prominent athletes are a party to this.
I also know for a FACT, that some elite swimmers know of the drug, and believe it is undetectable.
*** This is in no way intimating that any specific athlete has or is using the substance.
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Former Member
I think that some people labour under the misconception that those abusing performance-enhancing drugs are necessarily LARGE. This simply isn't so. Endurance athletes (runners) were among the first to abuse steroids in the 70's in lesser dosages to enhance their ability to train more & blood doping to increase red-blood cell capacity & they have never been built like Lou Ferrigno. Swimming has been clouded by materiels advances in swimsuits & technical gains exploiting rule changes but there is no question that there has been abuse in open swimming (Chinese swimmers etc).
Masters? Regretably, yes. And I do mean substances banned under Open competition. However, I have stated repeatedly, taking substances like creatine (scary for the lack of human testing) is almost as bad. So what if it isn't illegal? If it is truly performance-enhancing (as I was assured it was by several swimmers at Baltimore LC Nats) then it can & should be banned. Am I alone in finding this sort of experimentation disgusting in Masters?
I think that some people labour under the misconception that those abusing performance-enhancing drugs are necessarily LARGE. This simply isn't so. Endurance athletes (runners) were among the first to abuse steroids in the 70's in lesser dosages to enhance their ability to train more & blood doping to increase red-blood cell capacity & they have never been built like Lou Ferrigno. Swimming has been clouded by materiels advances in swimsuits & technical gains exploiting rule changes but there is no question that there has been abuse in open swimming (Chinese swimmers etc).
Masters? Regretably, yes. And I do mean substances banned under Open competition. However, I have stated repeatedly, taking substances like creatine (scary for the lack of human testing) is almost as bad. So what if it isn't illegal? If it is truly performance-enhancing (as I was assured it was by several swimmers at Baltimore LC Nats) then it can & should be banned. Am I alone in finding this sort of experimentation disgusting in Masters?
