Since there hasn't been any controversy in the the forums lately, perhaps we should smack the hornet's nest a bit...
What are your thoughts regarding the following hypothetical situation as it relates to competition:
Suppose that tomorrow morning we wake up to find that medical researchers have discovered that a mixture of various substances (e.g. human growth hormone, testosterone, etc) can be taken with little or no bad side effects. Furthermore, it offers the following benefits on average:
1) A longer life span.
2) Improved general health, both mental and physical.
3) Greater resistance to some of the more common severe health problems such as heart disease, cancers, alzheimer's, etc.
Suppose that it also has a strong positive affect on one's swimming performance.
Suppose further that this treatment is expensive and not covered by most health insurers.
Question: Are the people who take it for the health benefits welcome to compete in master's swimming? Would your answer be different if the treatment were available inexpensively/free to everyone?
-LBJ
Parents
Former Member
More pot-stirring:
I think it should be pointed out (again) that Leonard posed the question in the sense that, in this case, it is being used for medical treatment and not strictly a performance enhancer.
That it has performance enhancing properties was introduced as a side-effect.
Leonard, you really do bring out the devil in me. I like it.
More pot-stirring:
I think it should be pointed out (again) that Leonard posed the question in the sense that, in this case, it is being used for medical treatment and not strictly a performance enhancer.
That it has performance enhancing properties was introduced as a side-effect.
Leonard, you really do bring out the devil in me. I like it.
