History of Steroids in Sports

[MadStax]

This is very interesting. There is a lot missing, but I'm shocked that steroid use wasn't tested for til 2003 in the MLB. Even later for the other major sports. The first organization outside of the Olympics to test their "athletes" was actually the WWF. An entertainment organization. That says a lot about how much these sports organizations cared about their players or playing "fair".

Historical Timeline - Drug Use in Sports - ProCon.org

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sportsanddrugs.procon.org

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[BBiceps]

Most of the major sports leagues still let a lot slide, UFC is probably the one (expect Olympics) with the most testing, even major boxing fights still just have a piss test, if that.

It’s “fair” if everyone is on.

 

[match]

I don't want to entirely derail the thread, so I apologize in advance if that's the result of this comment, but I don't think calling pro wrestlers athletes needs to be in quotes. Those guys and gals are about as athletic as just about anyone out there (true, some much more-so than others).

Sure I know it all depends on how you define athlete, and I wouldn't call pro wrestling a sport (it's a performance), but they perform some amazing athletic feats. You can call them performers too if you want, but I think it's perfectly correct to call them athletes, no need for quotation marks.

Up for a lively debate on this if anyone disagrees. Semantics = fun!

 

[MadStax]

Fair point, but I think their physical fitness abilities have nothing to do with how good/bad they were at competing in their "sport". Are they athletic individuals? Absolutely! Are they professional athletes? No.

 

[MadStax]

What about Chris Hemsworth? Is he an athlete as well? No, he is an entertainer who is very athletic. Sure, being peeled helps him land leading roles that pay big bucks, but that still doesn't make him an athlete.

 

[Smont]

Most of the major sports leagues still let a lot slide, UFC is probably the one (expect Olympics) with the most testing, even major boxing fights still just have a piss test, if that.

It’s “fair” if everyone is on.

This
If your trying to compete at any high level and your not on gear your only hurting yourself.

It goes beyond sports too, many high level chess players have been busted for steroids because dht steroids give them a edge, high level government jobs = steroid use, wall street is on steroids. ****, there's been several presidents and world leaders known for steroid use.

If your a construction worker and your gonna be doing that for your entire career , your life will be much easier on test and GH, especially in your 40's and 50's and God forbid 60's but honestly, most these guys retire around 65.

I realize I'm getting a little off topic but I thought this would all have a place in the history of steroid use

 

[MadStax]

This
If your trying to compete at any high level and your not on gear your only hurting yourself.

It goes beyond sports too, many high level chess players have been busted for steroids because dht steroids give them a edge, high level government jobs = steroid use, wall street is on steroids. ****, there's been several presidents and world leaders known for steroid use.

If your a construction worker and your gonna be doing that for your entire career , your life will be much easier on test and GH, especially in your 40's and 50's and God forbid 60's but honestly, most these guys retire around 65.

I realize I'm getting a little off topic but I thought this would all have a place in the history of steroid use

Chess players have now graduated to using butt plugs to gain that edge in competition.

Absolutely it belongs in the history. The link is by no means complete! Athletes were using amphetamines and other illicit substances long before anyone considered the possibilities of androgen modulation and manipulation. As humans, we naturally will push beyond what our bodies are capable of, to achieve our dreams.

China has really changed the game in the past several years. Substances are increasingly reliable and available. Competition is making them more affordable. Science and experimentation are making their use safer.

Being a man in his 40's I can tell you that I'm glad I don't do hard labor for a living! I definitely have respect for the guys who can do it for 40+ years!

 

[match]

What about Chris Hemsworth? Is he an athlete as well? No, he is an entertainer who is very athletic. Sure, being peeled helps him land leading roles that pay big bucks, but that still doesn't make him an athlete.

Oh the fun of semantics, I love words.

My assumption is that: for you, being an athlete requires that someone be engaged in an athletic sport. That's fair if that's your definition, but it opens up a question for where the line is then drawn. Does the sport need to be professional? Competitive? And that then opens up the question about what you define as a sport, and perhaps what you define as an athletic-sport if you believe that some things are sports but not athletics (examples MIGHT include: hunting, racing cars, jockeys, bowling, golf, etc, etc).

I like to just keep my definition for athlete as being: anyone capable of doing athletic feats of some sorr. This way we can leave it broad and we just debate which athlete is more athletic than another (rather than whether or not someone is an athlete at all). My definition is certainly more broad, but I think it just makes defining an athlete alot simpler to do.

As far as Chris Hemsworth being an athlete, I don't really know. He may just be in terrific movie star shape, and he may only lift weights and eat right and deliver awesome performances on front of green-screens (calling in the stunt men for the athletic necessities of the character). But it would surprise me to find out that he does nothing (and is incapable) of doing any athletic feats.

(Btw, if you can't tell, I've had this debate more than a few times with folks that I know and it never gets old for me!)

I appreciate and value your opinion, so if I come across as rude or condescending I apologize for that, it's absolutely not my intention in any way.

 

[MadStax]

Oh the fun of semantics, I love words.

My assumption is that: for you, being an athlete requires that someone be engaged in an athletic sport. That's fair if that's your definition, but it opens up a question for where the line is then drawn. Does the sport need to be professional? Competitive? And that then opens up the question about what you define as a sport, and perhaps what you define as an athletic-sport if you believe that some things are sports but not athletics (examples MIGHT include: hunting, racing cars, jockeys, bowling, golf, etc, etc).

I like to just keep my definition for athlete as being: anyone capable of doing athletic feats of some sorr. This way we can leave it broad and we just debate which athlete is more athletic than another (rather than whether or not someone is an athlete at all). My definition is certainly more broad, but I think it just makes defining an athlete alot simpler to do.

As far as Chris Hemsworth being an athlete, I don't really know. He may just be in terrific movie star shape, and he may only lift weights and eat right and deliver awesome performances on front of green-screens (calling in the stunt men for the athletic necessities of the character). But it would surprise me to find out that he does nothing (and is incapable) of doing any athletic feats.

(Btw, if you can't tell, I've had this debate more than a few times with folks that I know and it never gets old for me!)

I appreciate and value your opinion, so if I come across as rude or condescending I apologize for that, it's absolutely not my intention in any way.

Interestingly, I looked up the actually definition of the word athlete. Though it is more traditionally (my British English says) used specifically for individuals who compete, it seems it can also be used to describe anyone trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina (USA definition). I guess then, we all are athletes by American standards.

 

[match]

Interestingly, I looked up the actually definition of the word athlete. Though it is more traditionally (my British English says) used specifically for individuals who compete, it seems it can also be used to describe anyone trained or skilled in exercises, sports, or games requiring physical strength, agility, or stamina (USA definition). I guess then, we all are athletes by American standards.

As long as one competes in something I suppose they meet that standard.

My standard is actually probably a little more restrictive than that, but mine isn't one I can draw out with a crystal clear line in a sentence (or even a paragraph most likely).

I think that the breadth of their definition makes it easier to define, even if it is more broad than I would probably agree with. I'll have to chalk it up to a character flaw of mine I guess.

 

[Nac]

Oh the fun of semantics, I love words.

Im the same, youd prolly enjoy philosophy.

 

[match]

Im the same, youd prolly enjoy philosophy.

I do, and have for most of my life.

My views have changed dramatically since my younger years as an athiest, since finding Christ in my 20s.

 

[Ricky10]

Umm…

Me thinks Serena Williams quite possibly lived up to the rumors of using steroids for for a large portion of her career. Looks more probably than not. Just sayin..

 

[MadStax]

Umm…

Me thinks Serena Williams quite possibly lived up to the rumors of using steroids for for a large portion of her career. Looks more probably than not. Just sayin..

View attachment 222155

I'm just sayin... She be pegging dudes without the strap on!

 

[Mikereyn513]

I don't want to entirely derail the thread, so I apologize in advance if that's the result of this comment, but I don't think calling pro wrestlers athletes needs to be in quotes. Those guys and gals are about as athletic as just about anyone out there (true, some much more-so than others).

Sure I know it all depends on how you define athlete, and I wouldn't call pro wrestling a sport (it's a performance), but they perform some amazing athletic feats. You can call them performers too if you want, but I think it's perfectly correct to call them athletes, no need for quotation marks.

Up for a lively debate on this if anyone disagrees. Semantics = fun!

One of the greatest commercials of all time is the WWE attitude commercial entitled "we're not athletes..try lacing our boots" YouTube it if you haven't seen it still gives me goosebumps to this day.

 

[brofessorx]

There are only 2 types of champion athletes:
Those who use ped’s and get caught.
Those who use ped’s and don’t.
/thread.

 

[Hyde]

I don't want to entirely derail the thread, so I apologize in advance if that's the result of this comment, but I don't think calling pro wrestlers athletes needs to be in quotes. Those guys and gals are about as athletic as just about anyone out there (true, some much more-so than others).

Sure I know it all depends on how you define athlete, and I wouldn't call pro wrestling a sport (it's a performance), but they perform some amazing athletic feats. You can call them performers too if you want, but I think it's perfectly correct to call them athletes, no need for quotation marks.

Up for a lively debate on this if anyone disagrees. Semantics = fun!

I always wonder what people decide to label a sport or not, and when someone is considered an athlete. Mainly because I feel like powerlifting is one of those “on the cusp” activities.

You don’t have to be very cardiovascularly fit by normal standards at a powerlifting competition, but to do well there is a tremendous level of specific physical fitness required. And you will often need/develop elevated cardiovascular fitness compared to gen pop to carry out lots of earlier blocks of training further from contest. I believe it falls under the label of sport, as a it is a physical contest, but does that mean I’m an athlete? It doesn’t feel like it when I am struggling to breathe after a single max squat, but it does when I think about busting my balls for 7-8 hours a week in training, all of the mobility and tissue work, the rehabs, the forced eating (or not eating), the drug use.

Bodybuilding is even weirder. I do not believe it’s a sport, as the contest is not physically objective, but subjective. So are bodybuilders athletes? Its a tremendously physical lifestyle to prepare for a show. I think of them as athletes, even though the contest itself is not a sport.

 

[Mikereyn513]

I always wonder what people decide to label a sport or not, and when someone is considered an athlete. Mainly because I feel like powerlifting is one of those “on the cusp” activities.

You don’t have to be very cardiovascularly fit by normal standards at a powerlifting competition, but to do well there is a tremendous level of specific physical fitness required. And you will often need/develop elevated cardiovascular fitness compared to gen pop to carry out lots of earlier blocks of training further from contest. I believe it falls under the label of sport, as a it is a physical contest, but does that mean I’m an athlete? It doesn’t feel like it when I am struggling to breathe after a single max squat, but it does when I think about busting my balls for 7-8 hours a week in training, all of the mobility and tissue work, the rehabs, the forced eating (or not eating), the drug use.

Bodybuilding is even weirder. I do not believe it’s a sport, as the contest is not physically objective, but subjective. So are bodybuilders athletes? Its a tremendously physical lifestyle to prepare for a show. I think of them as athletes, even though the contest itself is not a sport.

Powerlifting is a sport and powelifters are athletes bodybuilding is not ( I used unto argue that it was when I was younger as I consider myself one) but bodybuilders are ( I think that what I was really trying to argue) because getting contest ready is the hardest thing you will ever do. It's weird that on competition day bodybuilders are and feel their absolute worst physical condition but in every single other sport on the planet the athlete will feel and be in their absolute best physical condition. This always intrigued me

 

[match]

I always wonder what people decide to label a sport or not, and when someone is considered an athlete. Mainly because I feel like powerlifting is one of those “on the cusp” activities.

You don’t have to be very cardiovascularly fit by normal standards at a powerlifting competition, but to do well there is a tremendous level of specific physical fitness required. And you will often need/develop elevated cardiovascular fitness compared to gen pop to carry out lots of earlier blocks of training further from contest. I believe it falls under the label of sport, as a it is a physical contest, but does that mean I’m an athlete? It doesn’t feel like it when I am struggling to breathe after a single max squat, but it does when I think about busting my balls for 7-8 hours a week in training, all of the mobility and tissue work, the rehabs, the forced eating (or not eating), the drug use.

Bodybuilding is even weirder. I do not believe it’s a sport, as the contest is not physically objective, but subjective. So are bodybuilders athletes? Its a tremendously physical lifestyle to prepare for a show. I think of them as athletes, even though the contest itself is not a sport.

Powerlifting is a sport and powelifters are athletes bodybuilding is not ( I used unto argue that it was when I was younger as I consider myself one) but bodybuilders are ( I think that what I was really trying to argue) because getting contest ready is the hardest thing you will ever do. It's weird that on competition day bodybuilders are and feel their absolute worst physical condition but in every single other sport on the planet the athlete will feel and be in their absolute best physical condition. This always intrigued me

I agree with both of you regarding sport and athlete definitions here. I definitely consider powerlifters to be athletes, and weight lifting is an much an olympic sport as just about any other.

I think for me the line gets blurriest when I have to consider competitive games and whether they are all truly "sports". For me personally, the term athlete is very broad and can inlcude anyone who is in good enough shape to compete in an athletic sport (regardless of whether or not they are actually participating at that time, or at all). But there is a blurry line between sports (which I feel must contain some athletic component), competitive games (which need not necessarily contain an athletic component), and certain types of racing.

So for me, and this is where I usually get into trouble with some people; I usually typically consider competitive games where you are not directly interacting with your opponents on a physical level, and do not REQUIRE athleticism, to not be sports. Examples include: darts, "esports", chess, golf, and bowling. The line for me is blurry here though because I think of golf and bowling as being closer to sports than the others listed, while at the same time I consider powerlifting to be a sport, because of the level of athleticism that's required for powerlifting. I believe that athleticism is helpful in golf and bowling, but I do believe that someone could be a competitive player of those games while being in awful shape or having poor overall fitness (ie not athletic).

Then you have racing competitions where the locomotion is created by something exterior to the competitors body. This is where I really get in trouble, because I don't consider NASCAR a sport (you can argue for it all you want, the guys in the cars may indeed be athletes, I don't care, it's a race, and for me it's not a sport). Please don't hate me NASCAR fans, we just define "sports" differently.

 

[MadStax]

I think bodybuilding competition requires an insane amount of effort and discipline. Your physical fitness is directly responsible for your ability to compete. This to me is a true athlete.

As for NASCAR, I can tell you that it takes less physical fitness than it used to, but it still does require more than you think! If you've never done hot laps on an oval in an old (20+ years) stock car you wouldn't understand. That said I think road racing is absolutely a sport. Look at the training Formula (x) drivers do daily. Not only strength and endurance training, but mental challenges as well. These guys compete at Soccer, Cycling, Rowing, etc and beat trained professionals in those disciplines! Indy, Moto GP, Rally, Enduro, etc all are training hard to be at the top!

Interestingly E-Sports is also heading in this direction. No longer are they simply spending a hundred hours per week playing the same game. They are training for physical fitness and mental acuity, and finding it improves their ability in game. A great example of this is to return to the racing theme and look at the recent explosion of SIM Racing. The guys competing at the top are far from your standard computer nerd or gamer!

Adrenaline is your enemy in these disciplines. Even in darts or billiards, bags or horseshoes, if you lose control and start getting shaky it is a loss of performance.

Assuming we say pro wrestlers are athletes. Their ability to properly execute the moves on cue, live in front of millions of fans, will help them climb to the top of that entertainment ladder. Though, there as certainly more athletic guys who get left behind by those less athletic, simply because they don't have the right look or personality for the show. I think this is the thing that differentiates them from all of these other sportsmen and women. They can and do "win" based on things competently unrelated to the fact that they are athletes.

 

[LeanEngineer]

Umm…

Me thinks Serena Williams quite possibly lived up to the rumors of using steroids for for a large portion of her career. Looks more probably than not. Just sayin..

View attachment 222155

I would agree! Tennis is her cardio on prep for her bodybuilding show I think