please tell me this statement was a joke
I think it is just the manner in which it is phrased that's confusing. Something like "cheating is defined by what you consider wrong versus right".
Hopefully.
There are probably some younger swimmers that indulge but younger is a relative term. Anyone think of where it might tail off? Mid-thirties? Later? Forties?
My question is, what would a Masters swimmer hope to gain from illegal performance enhancing drugs. Masters does not have the same exposure as the Olympic athletes have, so to me it seems that the reason to do that would be less. Of course, I could just be very naive......
Good question.
By illegal supplements I mean products on the F.I.N.A.'s banned list.
(Masters swimming doesn't have a banned list, so in Masters swimming every product is legal)
I believe there are.
I take the legal Platinum Performance -that was advertised in the Swim Magazine and is endorsed by swimmers Gary Hall Jr., Anthony Ervin, Ed Moses, and by coach Mike Bottom- but beyond the legal, into the sphere of steroids and EPO, I believe that there are users of illegal supplements.
I saw swims that to me are incomprehensible naturally.
Cheating is a morals thing. I think in every sport there are people who are willing to justify it in some way....I'd be shocked if masters swimming was an exception.
Edited to clear confusion.
"Illegal supplements" is a strange choice of words. In general, supplements are not illegal. Drugs may be illegal if (1) they are prescription drugs that have been obtained without a prescription, or (2) they are drugs that have not been approved by the FDA for use even with a prescription. Since there are plenty of non-swimmers who use drugs that fall in the second category, I'd be surprised if masters swimming had no users of such drugs.
Bob
Originally posted by hmlee
Cheating is a moral thing.
Again, I think I have heard it all, and I see this. By far one of the most OUTRAGEOUS statements I have read on here. You can't be serious, please tell me this statement was a joke.
Jim and Pete are correct. I meant it to come out as choosing to cheat is something that is inherantly a decision concerning morals/values/right v wrong etc. No matter the justification for it.
Originally posted by dorothyrde
My question is, what would a Masters swimmer hope to gain from illegal performance enhancing drugs. Masters does not have the same exposure as the Olympic athletes have, so to me it seems that the reason to do that would be less. Of course, I could just be very naive......
It is hard to see why masters swimmers would want to use illegal drugs to enhance their performance. You're not likely to become rich or famous or to get a college scholarship by winning masters meets.
But the question did not specify performance enhancing substances. There are illegal substances that non-athletes use for reasons unrelated to performance, and I think it is likely that there are some masters swimmers who do the same thing.
Bob
Originally posted by dorothyrde
My question is, what would a Masters swimmer hope to gain from illegal performance enhancing drugs. Masters does not have the same exposure as the Olympic athletes have, so to me it seems that the reason to do that would be less. Of course, I could just be very naive......
I believe many people use substances to enhance performance, the question is why? I have two theories:
1. Ego - people may not get rich and famous, but they get featured many times in our own publications for amazing accomplishments and feats and that can become intoxicating on the ego.
2. Competitiveness - face it, we are a very competitive group. If someone thinks they can win by doing something illegal, I believe they will do it for the sake of winning.
I hate to sound so cynical, but I see so much of cheating in all walks of life for many of these reasons. If there is no testing, and someone knows they can get away with it then why not? There just exists some people who only think it's cheating if you get caught.
