Why a big flap over steroids, lesser nations might be able to use it as an equalizer?

You are correct, there are no known negative repercussions of using steroids to your health.

There are adverse pyschiatric effects of steroid abuse, such as violence, mania, aggression, depression and manic behavior.

Because it would be unethical to create a culture in which a person must take drugs to perform at the highest level. If an athlete has the skills to compete at the top level without taking drugs, they should not have to take drugs to level the playing field with the others who do.

@math_nerd No known side effects? What are you smoking?

“The short term, more immediate side effects of steroid abuse are a veritable buffet of problems. Let’s start with the men. Acne, testicular atrophy, decreased sperm count, gynecomastia (enlarged breasts in men), high blood pressure, increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, decreased HDL (good) cholesterol, fluid retention, abnormal liver function, and prostate enlargement, just to name a few. ”

Source

@marinelife id like to think math nerds response was kinda tongue in cheek but the interwebs is such a hard place to decipher that sometimes.

@uberbatman Well, I can hope so.

I think mathnerd was being sarcastic.

“Lesser” nations? Really?

@FireMadeFlesh (If an athlete has the skills to compete at the top level without taking drugs, they should not have to take drugs to level the playing field with the others who do.* How much better would they have to be to actually level the playing field? If you have a cyclist from a lesser nation (as in wealth, per capital of income, etc) that only has money enough to train 20hr a week and the best cycle his nation can afford is the best model 2 years ago which is 120z heavier than a wealthy nation like Canada, the US, Japan, etc would be using? The wealthier nations like ours are not going to say lets keep the competition at a level where the least could perform well at but seek out the most hi-tech light weight gear to gain those precious few seconds or ounces (12 0z can make a big difference on the last hill after cycling 75k). The poorer nation is being out flanked by dollars how much better will he have to be to have a chance against top notch technology?

@Simone_De_Beauvoir “Lesser” nations? Really? Lesser in money, wealth, you know? Maybe I should have just called them poor, impoverished, or something like that? I thought simply saying they have less money than we (and they do) would be slightly better than saying they are poor, like you would let a fat person they are “big boned” than to actually say what they are……..

What’s a “lesser nation”? A nation of non-whites?

@bolwerk What’s a “lesser nation”? A nation of non-whites? Unfortunately many of those poorer lesser (as in less money and resources) nations have major populations that are not white, i.e. Vietnam, Honduras, Ghana, Belize, Haiti, etc. I didn’t starve them of money, that happen some other way.

@Hypocrisy_Central I did not deny there was inequality, I just said steroids are not the answer. If you allowed athletes from poorer nations to be drugged up, those from wealthier nations would have to take drugs as well. It would also mean athletes from poorer nations would be expected by their people to take the drugs, and to an extent their autonomy would be compromised.

I think the answer is to regulate equipment. In F1, any manufacturer can ask for the engine that another team uses, and must be able to purchase it for the same price. If the IOC made a similar ruling, so that wealthier countries would cop the R&D costs while all get the benefits, it would equalise it nicely. Drugs are never the answer, because athletic contests are about the athletes skills – not the scientists creating the drugs.