Steroids Currently Being Used by Weightlifters in the Olympics?

[rumblefish]

In related news I just read thy USADA is going to strip Lance Armstrong of all 7 tour titles and his bronze medal. I'd post the link but I'm sure it will be all over the place soon enough.

[Mark Rippetoe]

He pissed them off by passing their tests too many times. Can't have that. USADA = Parasites.

[jmjohnson]

General stance of USADA: "We believe in American exceptionalism, but only mediocre American exceptionalism. If you are too exceptional, then we will begin a witch hunt."

[Steve Hill]

He pissed them off by passing their tests too many times. Can't have that. USADA = Parasites.

Here's what I posted in E&P:

Let's posit that Armstrong doped. I have my opinion on this, but it's irrelevant to the issue. So let's just say he did, for the sake of argument.

And let's say that USADA has very strong arguments and evidence that Armstrong doped. Again, for the sake of argument, because we won't see any of the "evidence" that they have. I have to put it in a parenthetical because I don't know what it consists of - and neither do you.

Given these two things, why isn't anyone writing about the absolute and utter failure that USADA is?

Sure, they're good at catching the low-hanging fruit. Stupid masters riders. The folks who didn't realize the diet supplement had that thing in it. People with stuffy noses or who stick caffeine suppositories by the dozen up their ass. But major dopers? People who we "know" are doping? They've caught none of those.

Absolutely none.

How come no one's writing THAT story?

[Kyle Aaron]

At the Paralympics they have a guy who checks if athletes are breaking their toes or twisting their nuts to enhance their performance.

For those who don't click links, it's simply that many people with spinal injuries have difficulty getting their heart rates up. Injury, even an injury they can't feel, raises heart rates. Thus the wheelchair-bound guy can zoom down the track faster.

People at the top levels will do anything to improve their athletic performance.

[ForbiddenDonut]

Every single person in the top tier of cyclists dope. What really matters here is that Lance did it with one ball. That is why he is a champion.

[droidicus]

At the Paralympics they have a guy who checks if athletes are breaking their toes or twisting their nuts to enhance their performance.

For those who don't click links, it's simply that many people with spinal injuries have difficulty getting their heart rates up. Injury, even an injury they can't feel, raises heart rates. Thus the wheelchair-bound guy can zoom down the track faster.

People at the top levels will do anything to improve their athletic performance.

How can this possibly be against the rules? If slapping myself in the nuts will help me go harder/faster/better/stronger, then why should anyone else care? More proof that things are out of control IMHO.

[Dastardly]

How can this possibly be against the rules? If slapping myself in the nuts will help me go harder/faster/better/stronger, then why should anyone else care? More proof that things are out of control IMHO.

The premise is, that it is a slippery slope which encourages athletes to harm themselves for performance gains. This is something they want to avoid, also one of the big reasons steroids are frowned upon. Because competitors would do anything to win, there is always enough people who value success more than their health.

Every single person in the top tier of cyclists dope. What really matters here is that Lance did it with one ball. That is why he is a champion.

I read that he was entitled to legitimately use testosterone supplementation due the absence of his testicle. Even if he only took in the same amount that his body would have produced anyway, it would let him "cycle" his testosterone. Giving him a much greater control of his recovery. Some could see it as an unfair advantage.

Having less balls also lets you get more comfortable on the saddle in a hunched over aero position, again a possible advantage.

[Steve Hill]

The premise is, that it is a slippery slope which encourages athletes to harm themselves for performance gains.

Which is what every single (truly) elite athlete pretty much does every day anyway.

[mattypee]

The premise is, that it is a slippery slope which encourages athletes to harm themselves for performance gains. This is something they want to avoid, also one of the big reasons steroids are frowned upon. Because competitors would do anything to win, there is always enough people who value success more than their health.



I read that he was entitled to legitimately use testosterone supplementation due the absence of his testicle. Even if he only took in the same amount that his body would have produced anyway, it would let him "cycle" his testosterone. Giving him a much greater control of his recovery. Some could see it as an unfair advantage.

Having less balls also lets you get more comfortable on the saddle in a hunched over aero position, again a possible advantage.

The actual accusation before USADA is that he was using Testosterone, so its unlikely they could have given him a theraputic use exemption for it, only to chase him years later for it. Fact is, losing a ball, suprisingly doesnt always affect the T levels.

In regards to the aero position: nope, the best aero postions involve the nose of the saddle actually being further down and closer to the anus.
With how hot the body gets, and all the extra support provided by bike shorts and chamois, the business is well far north of the nose of the saddle.
If it were ever a problem, saddles would have much shorter noses. on my bike, in the drop position, the nose of the saddle barely touches the base of my (wink wink).
For me to make it uncomfortable I would have to slide my but backwards into a position where the body cannot make efficient power any more, and to where I wouldnt be able to breath very well.

The only slight 'upside' to Lances cancer was that he lost all that useless upper body musculature and his body weight went down by a LOT.
He was a triathlete before he was a cyclist, and losing the swimmers body really allowed him to tackle hills like a proper GT rider.