FireKrakouer
Gentlemen, this is democracy manifest.
- Jul 5, 2011
- 15,309
- 23,116
- AFL Club
- Collingwood
Firstly, apologies if this thread has already been done recently, I used the search function and could only find discussion of this from back in 2007.
Hearing the news of Ben Cousins and the recent leaked results from Collingwood has put the AFL's drug policy back on people's minds. It has been discussed how much or how little the AFL should intervene with the personal lives of players, but I'd like to approach this from a different angle: are players who take recreational drugs receiving an unfair playing advantage over those who don't?
Stimulant drugs, such as amphetamines and cocaine, are known for causing weight loss in users due to stimulation of the central nervous system and appetite suppression. Methamphetamine, AKA ice, is still prescribed in some countries as an anti-obesity medication.
Using these drugs could help players lose fat or maintain a lean physique. Some argue that players should be free to do what they want in their off season, but this is a time when they are particularly vulnerable to gaining unwanted weight.
Then there is the potential direct enhancement of athletic performance. Many body builders take stimulant-rich pre workout supplements to improve their workouts. Could some of these drugs increase performance on the field via increased energy, confidence and focus?
I doubt many/any players are under the influence on matchday, but could they be using to improve their training?
I have heard people saying "drug X is definitely not performance enhancing, trust me, I've taken it". It must be understood that psychoactive drugs affect everyone differently! What makes one person jittery and uncoordinated may make another person an athletic super-human.
Then there's the depressant drugs, eg marijuana and opiates. Many of these act as painkillers, and may increase appetite. A larger appetite may be beneficial to naturally skinny players wishing to add bulk to their frame. I realise I'm kind of grasping at straws here with the depressants, but the argument is there.
You could then argue that anything could be construed as performance enhancing. Should we ban caffeine, for example?
My opinion is that illegal drugs should be treated the same as performance enhancing drugs by the AFL. Substances like caffeine are easily available to everyone, cheap, and LEGAL, so I'm ok with them as I don't believe they give one player an unfair advantage over another.
We saw with Lachie Keefe and Josh Thomas that there can even be a direct overlap between recreational and PE drugs (if you believe their story). I'd like to see the rules simplified, with recreational drugs placed in the same basket as PEDs.
Thoughts?
Hearing the news of Ben Cousins and the recent leaked results from Collingwood has put the AFL's drug policy back on people's minds. It has been discussed how much or how little the AFL should intervene with the personal lives of players, but I'd like to approach this from a different angle: are players who take recreational drugs receiving an unfair playing advantage over those who don't?
Stimulant drugs, such as amphetamines and cocaine, are known for causing weight loss in users due to stimulation of the central nervous system and appetite suppression. Methamphetamine, AKA ice, is still prescribed in some countries as an anti-obesity medication.
Using these drugs could help players lose fat or maintain a lean physique. Some argue that players should be free to do what they want in their off season, but this is a time when they are particularly vulnerable to gaining unwanted weight.
Then there is the potential direct enhancement of athletic performance. Many body builders take stimulant-rich pre workout supplements to improve their workouts. Could some of these drugs increase performance on the field via increased energy, confidence and focus?
I doubt many/any players are under the influence on matchday, but could they be using to improve their training?
I have heard people saying "drug X is definitely not performance enhancing, trust me, I've taken it". It must be understood that psychoactive drugs affect everyone differently! What makes one person jittery and uncoordinated may make another person an athletic super-human.
Then there's the depressant drugs, eg marijuana and opiates. Many of these act as painkillers, and may increase appetite. A larger appetite may be beneficial to naturally skinny players wishing to add bulk to their frame. I realise I'm kind of grasping at straws here with the depressants, but the argument is there.
You could then argue that anything could be construed as performance enhancing. Should we ban caffeine, for example?
My opinion is that illegal drugs should be treated the same as performance enhancing drugs by the AFL. Substances like caffeine are easily available to everyone, cheap, and LEGAL, so I'm ok with them as I don't believe they give one player an unfair advantage over another.
We saw with Lachie Keefe and Josh Thomas that there can even be a direct overlap between recreational and PE drugs (if you believe their story). I'd like to see the rules simplified, with recreational drugs placed in the same basket as PEDs.
Thoughts?