Masters Swimming and Illegal Supplements

Originally posted by Sam Perry Again, cheating is doing something illegal. Cheating is doing something that's against the rules. Very few rule violations are actually illegal (i.e., against the law). And that brings us back once again to the question of what John actually meant. Did he mean to say "illegal supplements"? Or did he mean "banned substances" (which is how many people seem to be interpreting his question)? If it is the latter, then as Ion rightly noted, there are no banned substances in masters swimming. Nor can we apply the standards used by FINA, USA Swimming, and NCAA, since the only substances that are blanketly banned by these organizations are substances that are illegal even with a prescription. Any other substances on the banned list are, in reality, banned only if the user does not disclose the use in advance and provide proof that there is a legitimate medical need for such use. Masters swimmers (who, because of their average age, are much more likely to have a legitimate medical need for such substances) currently have no need to provide any such disclosure and proof of need, nor does USMS have any body to which such disclosure and proof could be submitted. Consequently, there is currently no way that the FINA/NCAA/USAS standards could be applied to masters swimmers. Bob

Originally posted by Sam Perry Again, cheating is doing something illegal. Cheating is doing something that's against the rules. Very few rule violations are actually illegal (i.e., against the law). And that brings us back once again to the question of what John actually meant. Did he mean to say "illegal supplements"? Or did he mean "banned substances" (which is how many people seem to be interpreting his question)? If it is the latter, then as Ion rightly noted, there are no banned substances in masters swimming. Nor can we apply the standards used by FINA, USA Swimming, and NCAA, since the only substances that are blanketly banned by these organizations are substances that are illegal even with a prescription. Any other substances on the banned list are, in reality, banned only if the user does not disclose the use in advance and provide proof that there is a legitimate medical need for such use. Masters swimmers (who, because of their average age, are much more likely to have a legitimate medical need for such substances) currently have no need to provide any such disclosure and proof of need, nor does USMS have any body to which such disclosure and proof could be submitted. Consequently, there is currently no way that the FINA/NCAA/USAS standards could be applied to masters swimmers. Bob