Do drugs improve sporting performance?

martinb said:
sorry for how vague this is but at the Sydney Olympics some university did an anonymous poll at the athletes village, asking if they could give the athlete a drug right now, that was completely undetectable, but would guarantee them gold in their event, BUT they would be dead 1 year later, would they take it? Something like over 60% said yes
again, just from memory at the time

martinb said:
I used to follow BB quite closely, and there were MUCH more health problems than just Flex Wheelers kineys
dead/dying bodybuilders were common news

Steve said:
Agreed - when testing was brought in it was to protect athletes. Before it people had died through drug use. It shouldn't be a case of the person willing to take the biggest risk coming out on top.

JC said:
Lol, thats f**king crazy!
If you said the same to me re a WSM win, and extended it to 5 years of life, I'd be saying "f**k NO!"

sexymikehowarth said:
f**k me that would have to be some pretty awesome drug for it to do that JC!

JC said:
Last 10 years, I cant think of any!?

martinb said:
off the top of my head
Don youngblood, won the masters olympia after a few attempts, popped his cloggs
Orvyle Burke, massive guy, sudden brain thing, either a vegetable or dead
Mike Materazzi or whatever his name is, MASSIVE calves, heart attack, don't know if he died, but not good

JC said:

I was talking more mainstream...the Top 20-30 Olympia/Arnolds etc guys will be having regular blood work....which makes the chances of gear related health problems minimal IMO

martinb said:
all 3 were oylimpia competitors
youngblood was actually a self made millionare, who only started competing in his 40s, died at 51
Matarazzos last comp was the 2001 Olympia, where he came 21st
Orville Burke was at the 2002 Olympia

martinb said:
all 3 were oylimpia competitors
youngblood was actually a self made millionare, who only started competing in his 40s, died at 51
Matarazzos last comp was the 2001 Olympia, where he came 21st
Orville Burke was at the 2002 Olympia

JC said:
As I said, with regular GP visits, any negative side effect can de bnipped in the bud/usage stopped

JC said:
No Masters Olympia....Coleman won in 2002...therefore not one of the "mainstream guys"

Ben_F said:
Who is to say if PEDs were the cause though? Legendary natural bodybuilder Mike Williams passed away from a heart attack on the way out of the gym at just 50. Mattarzzo didn't die btw, I read an interview after his problems and the thing he blamed/regretted was the huge quantities of red meat he ate.