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Distance_Guru
World Class
Joined: 09 Mar 2002
Posts: 1280
Location: Nebraska
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 Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2002 5:06 am Post subject: The best article I've seen in a long time! |
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You guys have to read this, it's about some comments Ron Clarke made.    
Drugs to balance the playing field? I tend to agree with the author on this one.
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Paul
Olympic Medalist
Joined: 28 Apr 2002
Posts: 1610
Location: Oregon
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| Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2002 12:35 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks, DG, for the article. I would like to see Clarke elaborate more on his comments. I feel Hollobaugh's comments and analogies were too simplistic in nature.
Paul |
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graeme
Varsity
Joined: 04 Aug 2001
Posts: 451
Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
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| Posted: Wed Jul 31, 2002 1:53 pm Post subject: |
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He says that drugs should be used to balance out the playing field because some people are more motivated and work harder? That is the exact reason why those people deserve to win. You can't let people take drugs because they don't have the time to train... or they just don't have the motivation to sprint the final lap of a race.
| Quote: | | Clarke is right, but perhaps has the wrong reason. Altitude? So we need drugs to catch up to Adam Goucher and others who were raised in thin air? No. The real problem is that the victory stands are dominated by talented athletes who have worked harder than the rest of us. And until everyone starts taking drugs, people like Clarke will just have to complain about the unfairness of it all. |
He's saying that people who don't work as hard should be rewarded... You shouldn't handicap the best runners because they put more effort into it. I think this article is way off the mark and Ron Clarke seems to be sour grapes about how the Africans are deservingly better. |
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Hammer
Varsity
Joined: 17 Jan 2002
Posts: 385
Location: New Mexico
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| Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2002 1:00 pm Post subject: |
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| On the other hand what is the difference between taking "illegal" drugs to enhance performance and having better training facilities and being able to heal up quicker. No one in the world works on an even playing field. Some are more talented, some workout in better conditions, some have superior training staff. There will always be "illegal" drugs and the athletes will always be 1 step ahead of the testers. Who decides that one drug is illegal and another is legal??? Some suplements are banned in some sports and not in others. |
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Dan
Chief Pontificator
Joined: 22 Mar 1999
Posts: 9334
Location: Salem, OR
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| Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2002 11:52 pm Post subject: |
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Those comments surfaced a month or so ago on the t-and-f list and provoked some interesting responses. One point raised was that Clarke's position assumes only those who are less talented will use or benefit from such aids, which is completely ludicrous. Why would the top athletes allow their edge to be removed when they too could turn to supplementation.
I figure the answer to this riddle lies in one of two things:
1) Ron Clarke is a complete moron.
2) There's much more to his comments than were reported.
It's a major mistake to assume legalizing drugs, even "non-harmful" ones, would level the playing field, just as it is a mistake to assume banning them does likewise. What it does is remove the veil from one of the excuses, but there's no guarantee everyone would have equal access or willingness to use what it takes to succeed.
Dan |
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