One of the things I always hear on this forum is "At the top level, they're all doing it". Well, that is not acceptable to me. Perhaps I'm too idealistic, but doping is still a huge violation and a major compromise in personal honor and integrity. We as men go through life in hopes of winning (whether that is sport, women, job, friends, etc.), fear of losing (getting laid off, girlfriend leaving, etc.) And we believe in and hope for an environment where everybody competes on a level playing field. A cheater destroys that. They take away the level playing field. We imagine a world where all men have a fair shake. No matter what race, social class, background, etc. have an honest chance. That's why we can't stand when elites fight bums. Or when Middleweights fight blown up Welterweights. Or when a fighter ducks somebody or even vacates their belt. They have violated the unwritten code of fairness and competition. That's even more damning than the official anti drug policy. Drugs take away the spirit of sport by destroying the ideal of a level playing field. Everything in boxing is about leveling the playing field. Men don't fight women. Huge guys shouldn't fight little guys. And champions shouldn't fight club fighters. And cheaters shouldn't fight clean fighters.
Yeah well that's just how the world is. I'm sure plenty of athletes feel like you but they can't change what the others do so they either have to find a way to win and earn money to get their family out of the ghetto or they wash out.
The world isn't fair. It never was , even advanced drug testing doesn't work because there are short acting drugs with clearance times measured in hours and new drugs that aren't being tested for yet.
Think the main thing for me is if someone cheats at the sprint they just run faster than the next guy but if you take PEDs in boxing your are hitting harder and doing more damage which could have very serious consequences . The sport is dangerous enough withOut people increasing the risk of their opponents gettin hurt by taking drugs which allow them to be stronger
Good post, but it's a real world out here. There is always gonna be cheats, crime and dirty dealings. All you can do is minimise them with stricter policy. Personally I'm a bit indifference. Have you ever cheat in an exam? Tax evasion? Illegal downloading off the net? Corruption and nepotism? Well, I have done all of those.
Well, the same with all the naughty things I have done, you have to know the game. Some things you can get away with, some things you can't.
The professionals is ultimately run under this premise: 'it's legal if you get away with it, you have to do anything you can to win'. This is PURE EVIL for combat sports because people's lives are at risk, but the game is evil. I say many times that boxing is a God-forsaken sport. It also kinda sucks because we don't get to see what the human being is actually capable of, but rather a synthetic version.
It takes away from athletes who have the natural ability and genetic gifts...and the ones who work hard.
That's noble but also naive. I'm with you, I agree, but the harsh reality is that there are cheaters every where. Not saying we should allow it or accept it, best we can do petition for change. I'd love for boxing to become a league and be a real sport.
I knew somebody gonna ask me this lol. No, my decision probably affect me only or the most my close family. Anyway I'm not supporting drugs usage, only being realistic. I've never endorse a moral high ground for myself. I'm a proponent for stricter testing, but will not pass condemnation if somebody get caught.
Perhaps you as a clean athlete don't want to win as much as me, an athlete willing to take PEDs. Why should I play by your rules? Because you aren't willing to take drugs?
I treat them all the same, I don personally care. People also like to say well once he's tested clean since then. How many years did Armstrong get away with it? My example is always Roy Jones Jr, people say he was sooo good but he was found to be a cheater why should he get off any easier than say Shane Mosley, Toney or Tarver. Bottom line is I don't care if you cheat once or twice. Once a cheater you get a automatic "*" next to all of your accomplishments point blank period. We can never know how good Jones really was it's impossible