Lifetime Ban First Time Steroid Use: Not A Good Idea

[Guest]

<<If I want to, say, encourage my kids to get a well-paying job, I don't expect them to go rob a bank, but rather to follow the challenge under the rules which are set forth.>>

Hulk, I think doping might be more like insider trading, plagiarism, or lying to the boss or tax man rather than bank robbing. You have to assume that the kid already has a good job but wants to take a short cut to get ahead. Remember these athletes are already exceptional, they just want another edge -- Rosie Ruiz comes to mind as someone who tried to rob a bank.

[Smoke]

For those of you that do not know I am Darrell Smith. Brew, Kenny and Savante shoudl know who I am. I know Kenny does, whats up kid? What you up to these days?

For the topic. Life time bans a re ridiculous and should not be considered for first timers. This is too much burden for such an offense that sometimes is of very little fault of the athlete. More importantly, a lifetime ban is the simple and easy way out of this. I have a better program that will solve a lot of issues. I will get to that in a minute. I also disagree with 4 year bans, it is the same as a life time ban in our sport. Remember folks, the life span on top is shorter in track than 98% of all other sports in the world! You ban someone for 4 years their career is over. The physical demands of track do not stand long periods of lay offs. Two years is pushing the envelope as is.
Now to my master plan. The issue at hand is teh ability for the banned athlete to return and continue doing teh same thing as before. The theory being that during the 2 year ban they are free to do whatever they please because they are not policed. Here lies our problem and solution.
Forget severe punishments, if an athlete has not retired they should be required to submit to testing on a regular basis at their own expense or risk not being reinstated upon the end of their suspension.
Suspending someone and ignoring their existence gives them 2 years to get ready, by the time the punishment is up they will test clean as a whistle, this is the problem.
We are the toughest testing sport, but life time bans are not a sign of toughness, as a matter of fact it is too tough. There are too many variables involved in doping cases to just uniformly ban someone forever. The nandrolone cases taught us that much.

[TripleJumper2]

Well the iaaf is partly to be blamed for cutting back on the 4 year ban to 2 years in Athens at the 1997 World A Congress meeting. I think some athletes take the risk knowing tha they may only get two years and like in certain cases only actually get months while their cases are being disputed. Personally certain coaches should also suffer the consequences. USATF should probably establish a blood test policy for all its team making members before every major championships or games. Then again that might be opening another can of political worms.

[DentyCracker]

Speaking of blood tests, I hear they are trying to get a reliable test for HGH out in timre for Athens

[Alexander]

Well, the 2-year ban in not like a free, uncontrolled, doped ride to excellence. By the rules you must give a certain amount of clear tests before you are allowed back. Some former dopers even seem to be under extra scrutiny.
On the other hand I feel that once you´ve deliberately misused the trust of your competitors you´re a cheat whether yo´re banned or not. I doesn´t wipe off.