When a swimmer is injured and a doctor provides a round or so of steroids (cortisone, etc.), injections to provide pain relief and reduce inflammation, is this considered doping within the USMS? This question came up in an email a day or so ago from a top competitor who has been told it is considered doping. I'll fess up first, I am on a round of three injections prior to considering a shoulder surgery, with surgery being my last and desperate resort. Or is a small round of steriods for medical purposes only so slight that steroids would not show up in routine blood tests.
Is this legal within USMS guidelines?
Donna
Parents
Former Member
Thanks for all the great responses. I knew that as a normal routine USMS does not test for doping, but with the increase in doping in other sports and at the elite level, I'd be surprised that they didn't entertain the idea. Maybe those of us who are average swimmers, me included, have nothing to worry about. But I brought this up because the steroid I am on is above the cortisone level whatever that means. I'll have to get the exact name of it next Friday at 2nd injection time and do some research. But a friend of mine who is a top USMS competitor had heard from their coach that it is being looked at seriously.
And prior to my long swim next August and having to register with FINA, I want as much info on this as possible; especially the possibility of false-postives like was mentioned.
If anyone has any other information about this, or your experience with it, please write about it! I guess many of us laymen don't know the exact science as to what computes to doping and how these drugs are broken down within us even though I know there are differences.
Donna
Thanks for all the great responses. I knew that as a normal routine USMS does not test for doping, but with the increase in doping in other sports and at the elite level, I'd be surprised that they didn't entertain the idea. Maybe those of us who are average swimmers, me included, have nothing to worry about. But I brought this up because the steroid I am on is above the cortisone level whatever that means. I'll have to get the exact name of it next Friday at 2nd injection time and do some research. But a friend of mine who is a top USMS competitor had heard from their coach that it is being looked at seriously.
And prior to my long swim next August and having to register with FINA, I want as much info on this as possible; especially the possibility of false-postives like was mentioned.
If anyone has any other information about this, or your experience with it, please write about it! I guess many of us laymen don't know the exact science as to what computes to doping and how these drugs are broken down within us even though I know there are differences.
Donna
