Tony Thompson: non-users are at disadvantage

Steroids are widely taken around the world. While several individuals administer these products in order to treat certain diseases, others use them in order to enhance muscle mass, gain energy, burn fat, etc. Undoubtedly, no one will be ever capable to contest benefits that can be achieved with the help of these drugs. But it is needed to take in consideration that steroids cause undesirable consequences along with benefits. That’s why those who intend to take these medicines should study probable dangers before they begin to administer these preparations.
Knowing about possible risks, you can find several methods in order to prevent or decrease them. Those who have ever taken steroids know that some of them convert into estrogen in the body, causing such negative effects, as fluid retention, gynecomastia, fat accumulation, etc. Anti-estrogen drugs can prevent or at least to reduce severity of these health problems. Anabolic steroids also suppress natural production of testosterone. Fortunately, there are some remedies that are able to restore this process.
Besides of drugs, there are also other ways to prevent or reduce unwanted effects. Dosages should be reduced; cycles must not be prolonged; suitable stacks should be chosen, etc.
While some adverse results of steroids are evident, others can be detected only with the help of lab tests. So, steroids may enhance hematrocrit levels. This negative result is quite dangerous. High hematocrit levels cause other grave unwanted reactions. Individuals with this problem may face diseases of cardiovascular system and problems connected with blood circulation. Even heart attack and death may be caused by elevated hematocrit levels. That’s why it is necessary to check hematocrit levels while taking anabolic-androgenic steroids.
If a consumer of steroids learns that he/she has elevated hematocrit levels, this individual should consult his/her treating doctor. Steroid use must be discontinued. Health care providers prescribe products for reduction of hematocrit levels. Thus, hematocrit levels should return to their normal levels. Otherwise, further complications will occur.
Hematocrit levels should be maintained within normal range. There are some simple rules that should be kept by sportspersons for this purpose. Those who train intensively should consume much water. Moreover, it is recommended eating grapefruit. It is stated that this fruit contains a substance which can reduce elevated hematocrit levels.
In case you desire to avoid having high hematocrit levels, don’t apply anabolic steroids!

Steroid users should check hematocrit levels regularly

Tony Thompson, a boxer, claims that steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in boxing. The athlete says that anti-doping laws and gun laws are similar. Who doesn’t break gun laws? Just good guys do it. That’s why good guys are at a disadvantage. So, the similar situation is linked with anti-doping rules. Only honest athletes don’t use steroids and/or other doping products. Thus, they fight with those who have enhanced their performance with the help of steroids and other related medications.
It is argued that steroids are forbidden in sports because they are dangerous. What would you say about boxing in itself? Is boxing safe? The answer is obvious.
But it is also stated that it is needed to ban steroids and other related products in order to make boxing safer. Steroids and other doping products increase performance. The more increased performance is, the more dangerous matches are. Although it is true, would you prohibit anything that promotes performance of boxers? Thus, you ban anabolic steroids because they enhance performance. Then ban trainings as well since they increase performance too! So, you will reduce performance while minimizing possible risks. What do you think about this condition?
The boxer Tony Thompson also adds that detection tests are not effective at all. While many athletes administer prohibited medications, just some of them are caught and sentenced to suspensions. So, dopers have unfair advantage over those who obey anti-doping rules. There is no logic.
Of course, arguments provided by Tony Thompson are reasonable. Anti-doping laws make matches more unfair. Furthermore, the prohibition of doping doesn’t make fights safer. Numerous boxers continue to take anabolic steroids and/or other forbidden products without being caught. They continue to fight and succeed with the help of doping, while good guys are at a disadvantage because they keep anti-doping rules.
So, if doping is allowed in boxing, matches will be fairer. Undoubtedly, they will remain unsafe. But they will be at least honest.
Tony Thompson has been harshly criticized for his statements pro legalization of doping in boxing.

Why do athletes regularly use steroids?

Steroids are permanently taken by sportspersons, bodybuilders and by ordinary persons. Since these drugs are prohibited in sports, doping scandals appear each day. Other remedies are administered along with anabolic steroids. Numerous athletes are inclined to apply heroin. You would probably wonder why heroin is used in sports. It is suggested that heroin is used by sportspersons for relief of pain.
Studying history of doping in sports, you can notice that sportspeople are ready to utilize a lot of strange things, if these remedies have capacity to enhance muscle mass, ban fat, add energy, speed recovery from muscle injuries and kill pains. Gorgets and pickle juice represent just certain remedies which are utilized along with anabolic-androgenic steroids.
Doping is not a new issue in sports. Sportspeople dope from ancient times. They try to develop new remedies that can help them to reach some goals through increase of performance. It is frequently claimed that sports are good for health. Sportspersons and bodybuilders are usually seen as healthy individuals. But it is a wrong point of view. Sports are associated with several risks for health. Sportspersons push their bodies till limits. They administer certain dangerous remedies that promote their succeeding, acquiring awards and getting money. However certain sportspersons achieve splendid results linked with prizes, they ruin their health essentially. Several athletes and bodybuilders even take such medications that may be fatal. They do it in the name of athletic performance and success in sports.
Although new remedies for enhancement of performance are introduced, you possibly see that the most of scandals are linked with steroids and growth hormones. While certain drugs appear and disappear quickly, anabolic-androgenic steroids are unlikely to disappear. Although anti-doping officers try to eliminate application of steroids from sports, their efforts are unsuccessful. While anti-doping officers elaborate more efficient tests for detection of steroids and other related medicines, athletes and bodybuilders find more sophisticated methods to dope and avoid detection. Thus, a lot of athletes dope while not being caught by anti-doping agencies. Nobody can contest that anabolic steroids and several other performance-enhancing drugs are widely administered in the world of sports and bodybuilding. Application of steroids is unlikely to be eradicated from sports.

Oscar Pistorius killed Reeva Steenkamp

Oscar Pistorius admitted that he had shot his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp. But the sportsman stated that he had shot her because he had mistaken her for an intruder.
Police officers try to define why the sportsman actually killed Reeva Steenkamp. They discovered anabolic steroids at his home.
Since anabolic steroids have been discovered in Oscar’s bedroom, it would be possibly stated that steroids caused uncontrolled violent behavior in the sportsman. Anabolic steroids would be demonized for the murder.
Actually, you should comprehend that it is quite hardly to claim that anabolic steroids are responsible for aggression and violence. Researches related to this issue are quite limited. According to results of certain researches, consumers of steroids are predisposed to aggression, paranoia, jealousy, etc. It is claimed that those that use steroids are more likely to be involved in crimes than those who have nothing to do with these products. But it is necessary to consider that steroids may just contribute to aggression. Only these medications alone can’t cause aggression. They turn out to be only contributive factors. Other factors should be also present in order to cause aggression. Circumstances play essential role in such situations. So, it is even impossible to define whether anabolic steroids cause aggression or several circumstances. Cases should be reviewed as a complex of steroid use and circumstances.
It is also claimed by experts that high testosterone levels are connected with aggression in certain individuals. So, it is necessary to notice here that while some persons with high testosterone levels suffer from aggression, others with high testosterone levels are not predisposed to uncontrolled violence. This condition differs from one person to another.
You can note that the connection between application of steroids and aggression is a complicated issue. Scientists have not studied this condition well enough to engage it. Thus, if defense lawyers of the Olympic athlete want to argue that anabolic steroids have made their client to murder his girlfriend, they should realize that they are going to use controversial statements.

Drug manufacturers supply anti-doping agencies with detailed information about new drugs

Nowadays a lot of drug manufacturers are ready to collaborate with anti-doping officers in their war on application of forbidden drugs in sports. It sounds strange but it is the reality. In fact, if you review the fate of EPO, you can understand why drug manufacturers agree to support efforts of anti-doping agencies. EPO is actually an efficacious remedy for treatment of anemia. A lot of persons with anemia that have administered EPO have been treated. But what do you think while hearing about this preparation? Almost each individual associates this remedy only with doping in sports. This preparation has been abused by the American cyclist Lance Armstrong that has cheated the whole world. So, EPO is associated just with cheating, dishonor, etc. Looking at this case, pharmaceutical companies try to “defend” their preparations from the similar fate. That’s why they work together with anti-doping officers.
Although several drug manufacturers started to cooperate with anti-doping officers earlier, sometimes there were some problems between them. Anti-doping officers criticized some pharmaceutical companies for their connections with doping.
Nowadays relations between anti-doping officials and pharmaceutical companies are better. Drug manufacturers share detailed information about new medications with anti-doping officers. It is valuable information for development of detection tests for these medications. While anti-doping officers learn how medications are manufactured, how they pass into body, how they work in the body, they can introduce more efficacious tests for these medications.
For example, the pharmaceutical company Roche that developed the drug CERA helped anti-doping officers to elaborate a detection test for it. Later other companies followed the example of Roche. The drug manufacturer GlaxoSmithKline went so far, as it sponsored an anti-doping lab during the 2012 Olympics.
While relations between anti-doping officers and huge drug manufacturers become closer, smaller drug manufacturers begin to cooperate with anti-doping officers as well. While earlier pharmaceutical companies haven’t desired to discuss about their relations with anti-doping officers openly, now they don’t fear to announce about this condition.

Athletes should not submit to anti-doping tests

It is not necessary to subject athletes to tests for performance-enhancing substances. Numerous cases display that tests for forbidden preparations aren’t effective. Furthermore, it is important to realize that application of tests by anti-doping officers is not logical at Olympics. The chief goal of Olympic sportspersons is following: to become faster, stronger and to be at the top level. Thus, why should you keep athletes far from medications which could help them to reach this result?
As you know, anabolic-androgenic steroids and other related preparations boost performance. So, sportspersons should be allowed to take these remedies in order to increase physical performance.
A lot of persons argue that anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs make competitions unfair. Is this opinion true? No, it wrong. You should recognize that tests for steroids and other related preparations make competitions unfair. Many sportspersons use performance-enhancing drugs while avoiding detection. So, some athletes take anabolic steroids; others don’t violate anti-doping rules. As a result, dopers have unfair advantage over non-dopers. It’s unfair. Let all sportspersons have similar access to performance-enhancing drugs. Thus, competitions will be fairer.
But discussing unfairness in sports, you should remember about other aspects that have more serious influence of fairness/unfairness than anabolic steroids and other related medicines. Certain athletes live in developed countries; others are in less developed countries. Certain athletes have money to buy necessary equipment; others can’t afford it. Certain countries can sponsor sportspeople, trainers, sport doctors and managers; others are not able to do it. So, unfairness should be discussed here.
Olympic athletes spend much time while training. They sacrifice time, money, etc. That’s why it is illogical to ban those who are caught using anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs.
While athletes are sentenced to bans for intake of steroids and several other chemical substances, they are never suspended for usage of herbs and certain potions. It is claimed that steroids and other chemical substances are banned in sports because they can increase physical performance. But what is for herbs and potions? They are also capable to enhance strength. Nevertheless, these remedies are not forbidden in sports.  Chinese athletes use herbal remedies and win.
Of course, you may claim that steroids and certain other drugs may result in serious adverse effects. Undoubtedly, several banned medications may cause serious health problems. But those that intend to administer these medicines do own research. They know about probable risks. Let athletes decide whether it is worthy to use such products. If they are ready to worsen health, let them do it because they should manage own bodies.

Black market of steroids controls white market

The WADA director general David Howman considers that China is the main source of raw materials utilized by underground labs for manufacture of anabolic steroids, HGH and other related medicines. Raw powders are sent from this country. Then underground labs produce illegal medicines that are sold by dealers at gyms and on the streets.
The black market of anabolic steroids controls sales of illegal medications on the white market. The black market is the source of products that are getable on the white market. It is stated that almost all medicines which are sold have been primarily acquired from underground labs which have used raw materials from China.
Top sportspersons are widely demonized for usage of steroids and other doping products. Since steroid scandals appear each day, thousands persons think that steroids and other doping products are mainly taken by elite athletes. But it is necessary to notice that this a wrong point of view. Some specialists have determined that anabolic steroids and other related drugs are more widely used by high school students and aged individuals that try to improve their appearance. While students want to enhance muscle mass with the help of anabolic steroids and several other illicit medications, aged individuals try to gain strength and reduce fat deposits with the help of these products.
Unfortunately, legal supplements frequently contain steroidal ingredients. Companies add such compounds intentionally. As a result, those that take just nutritional and/or sport supplements turn out to be consumers of steroids. According to David Howman, the CEO of the WADA, it is necessary to supervise supplement industry in order to prevent appearing of supplements which contain steroidal ingredients.

It’s wrong to believe that doping will be eradicated from sports totally

What do you think about legalization of doping in sports?  Several individuals believe that it is time to legalize it. Others are against it. What do you believe?
Those that are against legalization of doping in sports believe that steroids and other related medications represent essential evil. They may cause severe unwanted results in consumers. Furthermore, a doper has unfair advantage over a non-doper during competitions.
According to another opinion, application of anabolic steroids and other doping products should be allowed in sports. Let sportspeople apply whatever they desire! If they desire to administer anabolic steroids, let them do it! If they plan to take other preparations, let them do it! If they desire to administer several medications, let doctors manage their intake! Physicians know what their patients should do in order to prevent several negative effects. So, performance-enhancing drugs will not lead to serious undesirable consequences. As a result, intake of steroids and other related medicines will be relatively safe for health and life of users.
As you know, steroids and other doping products are currently prohibited in sports. When sportspersons are suspected and/or found guilty of doping, scandals appear. Such cases are often discussed during TV shows, in magazines, newspapers, on internet, etc. You must know that every scandal usually contains not only truth but also gossips, exaggerations, etc. As a result, you can’t assure whether certain affirmations are true or not.
Those who are against legalization of doping in sports say that sportspersons enhance performance unnaturally with the help of steroids and other related drugs. Discussing about enhancement of physical performance, you should not forget about enhancement of sexual performance, cognitive skills, improvement of health, etc. Why do we apply certain drugs and supplements, improving our health and life, while demonizing sportspersons who try to promote performance with steroids and other doping products? Isn’t it hypocrisy? You would notice that anabolic steroids and some other doping products cause health problems. Yes, it is true. But what do you consider about usage of caffeine and nicotine? They are accepted in the society. But it is necessary to notice that caffeine and nicotine lead to more severe health problems than anabolic steroids and other related medications. Nevertheless, users of caffeine and nicotine are not so harshly demonized, as consumers of steroids.
Anti-doping agencies hope that they will soon eradicate doping from sports. “Competitions will be fair”, - they exclaim. But it is necessary to acknowledge that doping will be never eliminated from sports. Anti-doping officers will not be ever able to do it. While they introduce new methods of detection and increase penalties for intake of banned substances, sportspersons find new ways to avoid detection. So, anyone should understand that this “game” will never end, if doping is not legalized in sports.

Why are some performance-enhancing remedies blamed, while others are allowed?

The sportswriter Dan Le Batard notices that it is needed to think over our attitude to doping. Do we evaluate various sportspersons the same way? Do we accept application of steroids and other related remedies by athletes? What is our real attitude towards sportspersons that use steroids and/or other performance-enhancing drugs/procedures? Do we admire of those that are successful in sports due to anabolic steroids and other related remedies?
Sometimes the society is guilty for doping of sportspersons. The society should be blamed for abnormal actions of athletes. The society admires of abnormal things which occur in sports. The society praises those that have ligaments removed from cadavers. The society admires of athletes that are involved in different abnormal actions: competing with catheter, cutting fingers off, etc. Athletes do a lot to be famous. They submit to different procedures which are not required for their health. Furthermore, they use such preparations and procedures that ruin their health. Why do they do such things? The answer is evident: they want to hear words of admiration; they desire to be prominent. So, they do it for athletic performance. While sportspersons use remedies that cause essential harm in them, we support their behavior through our praise, awards, money, etc.
Actually, the society is full of hypocrisy. While we are inclined to blame steroids and some other forbidden preparations, we don’t condemn sportspersons that use various procedures for increase of their physical performance. While we blame some dopers, we admire of others. Why are several drugs and procedures forbidden for increase of performance, while others are permitted? Let be reasonable! If you demonize steroids, don’t support those that use alternatives to these products which can also promote athletic performance. If you desire to see natural talents of athletes, don’t support those that submit to different procedures for enhancement of athletic performance! Before you blame or praise someone/something, think over this aspect! Don’t hurry and be honest!

Anti-aging clinics are involved in steroid scandals

A lot of anti-aging clinics are connected with steroid scandals. It’s not surprisingly because they supply sportspersons and bodybuilders with anabolic steroids and other related medicines. When appropriate authorities search anti-aging clinics and confiscate documents, they find out that some well-known sport figures belong to clients of the clinics.
Lately certain anti-aging clinics located in Miami were investigated. Feds defined that the clinics offered prescription drugs for sale illegally. The clinics sold medicines for increase of muscle mass, fat reduction, enhancement of endurance, etc.
According to the newspaper the Miami New Times, the anti-aging clinic Biogenesis was found guilty of illegal sale of performance-enhancing drugs. Furthermore, such well-known baseball players, as Alex Rodriquez and Melky Cabrera purchased doping products at Biogenesis of America. So, the anti-aging clinic appeared to be linked with one of the biggest steroid scandals in baseball.
Medical records of Biogenesis were obtained from an employee of the clinic. The records were presented on the site of the newspaper Miami New Times. Journalists claimed that the employee who provided the records didn’t want to be identified.
It is reported that anabolic steroids, HGH, IGF-1 and other prescription medicines are widely offered for sale illegally by anti-aging clinics. Furthermore, clinics hire physicians who provide fake prescriptions. Prescriptions for anabolic steroids and other related drugs are often given to clients without required evaluation of their personal conditions. Furthermore, physicians supply clients with needed prescriptions even without seeing them. In additions to these aspects, several corrupt doctors permit anti-aging clinics to use their prescription pads. Thus, anti-aging clinics sell anabolic steroids, painkillers and other prescription preparations illegally, as if they worked legally.
When illegal operations of anti-aging clinics become obvious, owners of clinics, doctors and some employees are sentenced to several sanctions. Nevertheless, the risk to get punishment doesn’t stop clinics from their illicit activities. However proper authorities try to eliminate illicit sale of prescription preparations, their success is not yet significant.

Frank Thomas: steroid users must not be in Hall of Fame

Although some individuals consider that doping will be never eradicated from sports, you can come across more optimistic opinions related to this issue.
The former MLB player Frank Thomas notices that he has had success has in baseball without administration of anabolic steroids and other doping products. He is happy that he has never doped. Looking at Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, he is proud of his achievements in baseball. The baseball stars Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa have achieved great success. But now their accomplishments are removed. These sportspersons are considered to be liars. They haven’t been elected for the Baseball Hall of Fame, despites of their success. Frank Thomas is happy about this aspect. He notices that steroid users must never be in the Hall of Fame. Furthermore, Frank Thomas claims that he has played during the steroid era successfully without application of prohibited medications.
Frank Thomas notes that he has respected the great baseball players Sammy Sosa, Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens.  But since they have applied anabolic steroids and/or other forbidden preparations, Frank Thomas doesn’t consider them stars longer. However, he doesn’t have harsh words for them. But Frank Thomas claims that intake of performance-enhancing drugs is their decision and they should suffer the consequences, being out of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens and Sammy Sosa have been tainted. Their accomplishments don’t cost anything because they are fake. Such sportsmen shouldn’t be praised.
Frank Thomas thinks that the MLB acts correctly, agreeing to elaborate blood testing for HGH. While baseball players have submitted to urine testing for HGH, they will also submit to blood testing for this banned product systematically. Thus, Frank Thomas claims that the drug testing program becomes more efficient in the MLB. He supposes that doping will be eradicated from this sport entirely. Games will be soon “clean”, according to Frank Thomas.

Competitions are unfair

A lot of professional athletes obtained steroids and other doping products from Biogenesis, a Miami anti-aging clinic. The famous baseball stars Alex Rodriquez, Melky Cabrera and Bartolo Colon also belonged to persons who purchased anabolic steroids at this clinic.
What is uncommon here? - Nothing. Anabolic steroids and other related drugs are widely used in baseball and in other sports. Athletes get these products at pharmacies, clinics, etc. Many anti-ageing clinics, pharmaceutical companies and other related establishments distribute anabolic steroids and other doping products illegally. Biogenesis is not the only clinic that is involved in illegal operations linked with anabolic steroids and other prescription products. Sportspersons find different methods to acquire anabolic steroids and other related medicines and use them. However anti-doping officers try to eliminate doping from sports, their efforts are not successful.
Do you consider that anti-doping officers don’t work enough well? Do you mean that they should introduce more sophisticated drug testing policies? Do you think that they don’t do their job appropriately?
It is important to recognize that no any drug testing system is able to eliminate doping from sports entirely. Sportspersons find certain methods to avoid detection. Administration of doping remedies is a part of sports. It exists from ancient time. Even ancient Greeks and Romans had some methods to increase their performance to win. Will sportspersons stop administering anabolic steroids and other related preparations now?
Certain sportspersons buy undetectable drugs and administer them. Moreover, they hire specialists that supply them with recommendations on administration of anabolic steroids and/or other performance-enhancing drugs. Thus, some athletes have unfair advantage over others. Anti-doping officials can’t change the situation. They are not capable to make sports “clean”. What is it needed to do under such circumstances? It is probably better to legalize doping in professional sports. Thus, anyone will be allowed to administer whatever he/she wants. As a result, no any athlete will have unfair advantage over another.
But since steroids and other related drugs are not permitted in sports, athletes try to find ways to get and use these medicines, avoiding detection. When it becomes obvious that several athletes dope, scandals appear.