Recreational drugs vs Performance drugs penalty - Page 2

I'm resuscitating and bringing this one back to life...

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Old World Monkeys, Lesser Apes & Cyclists.

Common trait? ~Ischial Callosities~ !!??!

To some extent I agree with each side. Many illegal drugs are illegal for no good reason, while the rather dangerous drugs alcohol and nicotine are left legal. Most of the illegals are there from propaganda too. But I'd rather not bandstand about my feelings on recreational drugs...

Now, will someone benefit from smoking pot? First off, they're smoking. So it seems doubtful that smoking anything would enhance performance. As an ex smoker, I remember that if I attempted to ride within 30 minutes after smoking I'd be lucky if I could make it around the block. Unless the rider is using a vaporizor, they'll just be hurting themselves. So if the rider is on a pro-contract, then sure, screen the hell out of them. They signed the contract, and if they're good enough, they probobly had some bargaining power in setting their terms too. They also had to be of sound mind when doing so. So if their contract says no drugs, no alcohol, then fine - no drugs no alcohol. The remedy should be whatever the contractors agreed to.

However, I don't believe many recreationals should be held to the same standard as performance enhancing drugs - save for stimulants. A spun up meth junkie will be able to ride for hours on end, while a pothead is going to have trouble wobbling to WaWa (if you don't know what a WaWa is, you need to live in the northeast US) - and god help you if you decide to try to do any competitive racing on an opiate (falling off about a half mile later and sleeping in a ditch sounds like a blast, doesn't it?). Different drugs have different effects - many with almost no effect on performance.

Contract concerns aside, I personally dislike drug screenings to begin with. Its a violation of my privacy, and to be honest, I feel extremely violated whenever I have to go through a screening.

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"Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocrities. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence."

So it really boils down to a professional code of conduct which the sporting authorities are trying to enforce on their atheletes..

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Old World Monkeys, Lesser Apes & Cyclists.

Common trait? ~Ischial Callosities~ !!??!

45% VS 55%...

approx 50% both sides with minor fluctuations favouring flexibility..

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Old World Monkeys, Lesser Apes & Cyclists.

Common trait? ~Ischial Callosities~ !!??!

To commemorate my 100th post, i shall post in my own thread.

We are on 50% vs 50%.. it seems to me only 30 out of the 270 odd people have an opinion. hurh.

50/50 it is.

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Old World Monkeys, Lesser Apes & Cyclists.

Common trait? ~Ischial Callosities~ !!??!

I do not understand why this is a grey area. Recreational drugs, regardless of whether they enhance performance, are illegal. Performance enhancing drugs, while legal under many circumstances, are illegal when used by athletes to enhance performance. Both classes of drugs are illegal for athletes, therefore, the penalty for both should be the same.

One thing that really bugs me about professional sports is that Daryl Strawberry, who was suspended from Major League Baseball on two or three occassions for illegal drug use, will end up in the Hall of Fame before Pete Rose, who never did anything illegal as a player, but was caught betting on games as a manager. This sends the message loud and clear that illegal drug use is less of an offence than gambling on sporting events. There is something wrong with that.

Thanks for voting RickF.. after your vote, the stats have shifted in favour of YES for the very first time.

As to whether sports rigging is a more serious crime... thats a story for another day... though i got some 2 cents on the issue, i shall refrain.

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Old World Monkeys, Lesser Apes & Cyclists.

Common trait? ~Ischial Callosities~ !!??!

But Rose was never accused, let alone found guilty, of sports rigging. The only thing he was guilty of was betting on his own team. How could he have rigged a win? He was supposed to win.