Steroids and Injuries

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SpearPass

Senior List
Jul 18, 2015
174
268
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Okay, so today I visited my doc after a nagging and persistent shoulder injury that is severely inhibiting my capacity to exercise.

He briefly mentioned something along the lines of:

"anabolic steroids, not corticosteroids, could probably heal this quick-smart but you don't want to go down that road."

This got me thinking.

Would people be averse to a highly regulated course given to a player who had a significant injury that would be greatly assisted by the taking of what would otherwise be classified as performance enhancing drugs?

By strictly regulated I mean:

  • Player has to be out of the game for X amount of time after the course
  • Clubs all put in an amount for an independent AFL doctor
  • This AFL doctor monitors the injury's progress, the dosages, and whether or not the injury is genuine and worthy of taking a course.
I personally wouldn't have a problem if it could get some injury-prone blokes to actually get back on the park rather than ending their careers, provided the program wasn't abused.

Has the potential to get nasty though.

Thoughts?
 
When he said that was it in a kind of wink wink, nudge nudge way... like he was testing you to see if you might like to buy some under the counter... ?
 

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rdhopkins2 said:
Could have helped Justin Charles?

It's opening a Pandora's Box though where it could be abused.
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It would need to monitored thoroughly and independently by the AFL. Otherwise you'd have X team getting a skinny 18 year old kid in his first year at the club and going:

"Season ending injury. Has to stay out of the game for a year. Give us a cycle."

[cue anabolic steroid course and being locked into the gym for a year, comes out of it a monster ready to go at age 19-20]
 
jackdanielz3 said:
When he said that was it in a kind of wink wink, nudge nudge way... like he was testing you to see if you might like to buy some under the counter... ?
Click to expand...

No, I have a brain lesion condition which necessitates that I can't have raised blood pressure. My doc is very keen to do things not by the book on occasion if it'll work for me but we've discussed steroids before (when I was training seriously and considering a cycle for gainz) and he basically flat out told me it is not worth the risk considering my condition. He also stated he wouldn't prescribe them but if I did do it he requested I come to him once a month or so so that he can monitor me [but he would stop bulk billing me since he disapproves of the action taken].

I know there are some docs who do the wink wink nudge nudge stuff for all the pros, but this one's most definitely not one of them.
 
SpearPass said:
Okay, so today I visited my doc after a nagging and persistent shoulder injury that is severely inhibiting my capacity to exercise.

He briefly mentioned something along the lines of:

"anabolic steroids, not corticosteroids, could probably heal this quick-smart but you don't want to go down that road."

This got me thinking.

Would people be averse to a highly regulated course given to a player who had a significant injury that would be greatly assisted by the taking of what would otherwise be classified as performance enhancing drugs?

By strictly regulated I mean:

  • Player has to be out of the game for X amount of time after the course
  • Clubs all put in an amount for an independent AFL doctor
  • This AFL doctor monitors the injury's progress, the dosages, and whether or not the injury is genuine and worthy of taking a course.
I personally wouldn't have a problem if it could get some injury-prone blokes to actually get back on the park rather than ending their careers, provided the program wasn't abused.

Has the potential to get nasty though.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...

Is this not the entire purpose of a therapeutic use exemption? To allow medical treatment for genuine injuries/illness that otherwise would be banned.
 
Smashwood said:
You're kidding yourself if you don't think players have already used the gas to repair injuries. Yer yer drug tests blah blah my arse.
Click to expand...

This, but as far as the OP goes, I would not be against it.
 
Lavender Bushranger said:
One of the things I love about sport is the contest of body, in addition to mind and skill.

If you get hurt - stiff s**t.

If you're not healing - stiff s**t.
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my thoughts also, i also will add, when someone gets hurt, someone else gets their chance.
What are we going to do? invent drugs that stop aging also, then we would never need to recruit ever again.
 
Muggs said:
Is this not the entire purpose of a therapeutic use exemption? To allow medical treatment for genuine injuries/illness that otherwise would be banned.
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The problem is policing the use. In MMA they recently banned a therapeutic use exemption for testosterone replacement therapy as fighters were juicing up on the stuff in training camps. They legitimately had low testosterone though and could get prescribed it by their doctor, but low test is often a result of previous steroid use in fighters. There was even an exemption approved for a 25 year old fighter for TRT, apparently that's nearly impossible without previous steroid use.
 
Smashwood said:
You're kidding yourself if you don't think players have already used the gas to repair injuries. Yer yer drug tests blah blah my arse.
Click to expand...

I'm also almost certain that Essendon wasn't the only club using (not just for injuries), but I'm talking about official policy though.
 

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SpearPass said:
Okay, so today I visited my doc after a nagging and persistent shoulder injury that is severely inhibiting my capacity to exercise.

He briefly mentioned something along the lines of:

"anabolic steroids, not corticosteroids, could probably heal this quick-smart but you don't want to go down that road."

This got me thinking.

Would people be averse to a highly regulated course given to a player who had a significant injury that would be greatly assisted by the taking of what would otherwise be classified as performance enhancing drugs?

By strictly regulated I mean:

  • Player has to be out of the game for X amount of time after the course
  • Clubs all put in an amount for an independent AFL doctor
  • This AFL doctor monitors the injury's progress, the dosages, and whether or not the injury is genuine and worthy of taking a course.
I personally wouldn't have a problem if it could get some injury-prone blokes to actually get back on the park rather than ending their careers, provided the program wasn't abused.

Has the potential to get nasty though.

Thoughts?
Click to expand...
Something like this?
Richmond’s rising star defender Dylan Grimes has arrived in Munich, Germany, for treatment on his injured hamstring.

Grimes, along with the Tigers’ strength and rehabilitation coach, Terry Condon, will spend a week with world-renowned doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt.

The treatment involves Grimes being injected with actovegin, an extract of calf’s blood, and anti-inflammatory traumeel, in an effort to stimulate muscle repair.

He also will receive chiropractic treatment, physiotherapy and undergo rehabilitation, plus cross-training exercises, while overseas.
Click to expand...
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/news/2012-07-10/grimes-in-germany
 
Smashwood said:
You're kidding yourself if you don't think players have already used the gas to repair injuries. Yer yer drug tests blah blah my arse.
Click to expand...
No. Their mums give them diuretics you goose
 
LoungeLizard said:
my thoughts also, i also will add, when someone gets hurt, someone else gets their chance.
What are we going to do? invent drugs that stop aging also, then we would never need to recruit ever again.
Click to expand...
That would work pretty nicely for my guys had we started the project in the 50s
 
SpearPass said:
It would need to monitored thoroughly and independently by the AFL. Otherwise you'd have X team getting a skinny 18 year old kid in his first year at the club and going:

"Season ending injury. Has to stay out of the game for a year. Give us a cycle."

[cue anabolic steroid course and being locked into the gym for a year, comes out of it a monster ready to go at age 19-20]
Click to expand...
That is what I expect would happen. The steroids can't be isolated to a particular area but it would be poor management if the full effect wasn't maximised.
 
Tayl0r said:
That is what I expect would happen. The steroids can't be isolated to a particular area but it would be poor management if the full effect wasn't maximised.
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This is why you'd need an independent AFL doctor to verify the veracity of the supposed injury claim.
 
SpearPass said:
I always assumed they were on the payroll of each particular club.
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They are the only people at a club who can have their entire future prospects in their job evaporate after not acting in the best interest of those they preside over.

If the doctors integrity is called into question they will never work as a doctor again
 
Tayl0r said:
They are the only people at a club who can have their entire future prospects in their job evaporate after not acting in the best interest of those they preside over.

If the doctors integrity is called into question they will never work as a doctor again
Click to expand...

I'm aware that they have a fiduciary duty but they are breached more regularly than one would think. Just give the anonymous Ethics Council a call and ask.
 
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