The function of doping controls isn’t to stop doping, it’s to keep it to a dull roar. Everyone above a certain level of every sport is using some form of PEDs. You can’t not – the margins of difference in terms of performance are so small, and the benefits so great, that even microdosing is very worth it. Effective anti-doping controls keep things like Tom Simpson from happening – died of a heart attack mid-race after doing enormous quantities of PEDs and street drugs.
If we were really worried about athletes, we wouldn’t incentivize winning so much in our culture.
It kills me that you said they have to go so far down the list that there is no point any more. Somewhere there’s a guy who finished 25th who stuck to his morals and said, “I’m riding this clean. I KNOW I can’t beat the doped athletes, and I know I can’t make a living at this without doping, but damnit, someone has to try.” Someone give that guy a goddamn medal.
Honestly, from the NCAA Athletes I’ve known, many of them have a family friend, mentor, or someone they personally known who has played in the big leagues of whatever sport they play. And the caution most of my friends have received is that in professional sports, most players are doping, and many seasons are generally pre-determined or rigged.
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