drug taking in sport

[dominion]

40% of cyclists suffer an affliction which according to http://www.asthma.org.uk affects 10% of the population in general? Hmmmm...

[daz h]

Daz, I reckon all 'asthma sufferers' should post their pre and post salbutamol peak flow rates for public consumption to prove their airways reversability. I'd be happy to show mine. When I was a kid, I suffered the ignominy of never being picked for the playground soccer kick-about coz I was crap. Why? I could not breathe! The scars last a lifetime, hence the nom de forum. I am asthmatic but I run in defiance of it. It has defined my life. Two fingers to the lot of you!!!!!

fair comment wheeze
my lad although he is only slightly asthmatic, needs his inhaler some times to play his football games
i admire your battle with it throughout your life

[SloJo]

Salbutamol is allowed in athletes who have a Therapeutic Use Exemption, but only up to a concentration of 1000ng/ml. That's the level you'd expect to find when someone with asthma uses their inhaler normally. Someone without asthma would receive no benefit at this concentration.
To achieve the anabolic and performance enhancing effects of salbutamol you'd have to inject it, or go absolutely bonkers with your inhaler. In that case your blood concentration would exceed the limit and you'd fail the drug test.

[Mud]

So If I understand this right, Paula is allowed to take medication to deal with her asthma.

Her asthma is a congenital condition which limits her running ability, and the argument is that the medication adresses this limitation so that she can attain the same oxygen uptake as she would without the asthma.

I have a congenital condition which limits my running ability, namely a VO2max some way below Paula's. Can I take a drug to redress the balance, or would that be cheating?

Is Paula allowed to pick and choose between the genetic gifts that the good and bad fairies brought her?

[Chris]

What do you think then Mud?

[Mud]

What do you think then Mud?

I think people ought to think more.

[Chris]

What's you opinion on the question you asked?

[dominion]

Next you'll be discussing carbon fibre legs....

[Luv Shack]

I think people ought to think more.

Thought & good thinking is what is needed....
It's easy to be judgemental....
But, the stakes are very high..
And, true fairness is what we pursue (I hope)..

Keep it going, it's good debate

[Mud]

What's you opinion on the question you asked?

I don't really have one yet. I've only just thought of the question.

I do think that the genetic aspect of public perception of sporting performance is very interesting.

Why are we more intersted in the freaks of nature, than the people who've got there by dint of pure hard slog and application, like the people who do fishing and the pool players?

I wonder if there are parallels between running and the porn industry, where the track-and-bed stars at the top are all chemically enhanced, and everyone knows it, while fellrunning occupies the readers' wives section. A bit more creased but all the more realistic for it...