What can we do?

[Matt Whitcomb]

We can discuss the issue with skiers at all levels and at all ages in this country, not just at the USST level. When an athlete finally makes the big game, they should have a firmly developed philosophy on racing clean that is rooted to their development as a racer. The opportunities to cheat are in every region across the US; the resources to dope are very near. It's not just a far-off tale from across the ocean. Being aware of this, and not taking for granted that we are clean, but rather being proactive to stay clean is the answer.

[Dell Todd]

Educate.


I hope that link works. Othrewise search mlive steriods.
I read in yesterdays Grand Rapids Press that a divorced father INJECTED his 12 yr old with steriods. The kid was already a talented champion inline skate racer. Kid went to great heights in that sport, and ended up banned, dad's in prison. Story featured in Sports Illustrated also. The kid is local, although the drugs part went down in FL. Very sad. The kid wants the story out there, as a lesson to others. He wishes he had been allowed to compete drug free.

[Jess Snyder]

This past summer there was an article on Velonews.com about a successful female mountain biker who had started doping around 17 because her coach had given her drugs.

Coaches have a very strong position of power over young impressionable athletes. Educating the coaches is just as important as educating the athletes.

[Dell Todd]

Jess,

The MTB story was & is huge. Another sad, powerful example.

The story link evidently doesnt work in my post, sorry. I try again ? :

Yes, Educate adults, parents, coaches. A kid who is 12 has no say, this kid is a victim of a criminal parent.

Be clean

[Pete Vordenberg]

Number one source of good info: http://www.usantidoping.org/

Another good source of info: http://www.wada-ama.org/en/

All athletes, Parents and Coaches should visit these sites and so that all understand the rules.

My own point of view: all coaches should enforce a strict anti-cheating policy. That means any sort of tendency to take a short cut must be delt with. With regard to doping on the US XC Ski Team it has been made very clear that there will not be two chances. Doping ruins all our efforts and destroys the sport for this team and for American skiing in general. The two year penalty will be the least of an athletes worries.
Doping / Cheating is best controlled culturally. If your community accepts let alone promotes it then it will flourish.

[Don Pollari]

Doping is huge problem and a big challenge. How sick is that one of the google ads that pops up in the margin of this discussion group is:

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www.SprayFlex.com

???

Cross country skiers must develop a culture within a greater culture which is anathematic to it.

When the rewards are high, some people will do "whatever it takes" to succeed. Kudos to the strong stance that Coach Vordenberg is taking on this issue. Beyond that, a system needs to be set up that make the costs of doping outweigh the benefits. Professional cycling is enacting a system in which each athlete needs to carry a biological passport. This passport is a baseline of physiological markers. Deviations from that baseline would prompt investigation of cause, determining whether someone just ill, or are they playing with the chemistry set?

Unfortunately, it's probable that the takers are many steps ahead of the testers, a recent story has revealed the the University of Freidenburg in Germany has had a long standing systematic doping program in place for elite athletes. Within the past few days there have been reports of lab in Austrian that has biathletes as clients, the newspaper that broke the story is recanting on some of it's claims but it's probable that where's there's smoke, there's fire.

Though I'd like to believe doping is going away, I sometimes doubt that it's possible. Again, the costs of doping must outweigh the benefits. Strict antidoping policies must be enacted from the top down. Strong anti-doping values must be instilled from the bottom up.