February 28, 2006

It's dope, not doping! : American wheelchair player banned 3-1/2 months for doping.

read story | posted by irunfromclones to Extreme at 4:23 PM CDT (30 comments total)

I understand that every Federation of every type has rules about drugs and doping but this guy is in a wheelchair for goodness sake. If he takes something that makes him get out of the chair and hit an overhead smash, then you have a reason to ban him. Besides, it might be for medical reasons. Ease up on the guy.

posted by dbt302 at 4:41 PM CDT on February 28

Wow, what an in-depth article.

But if he cheated, it doesn't matter one bit whether he's in a wheelchair or not. Disabled people can be cheaters, too.

posted by afx237vi at 5:28 PM CDT on February 28

Geez, I must agree. What a concise, well-thought article. Cannabis is weed. If it's illegal, it's illegal. Disabled or not, if he had it in his system, and the rules say no, it means no. As they say in Poland, toughski shitski.

posted by mrhockey at 6:29 PM CDT on February 28

Yep. Illegal means let's look at the whole thing in black and white. Whatever you do, don't question the validity of an obviously stupid scenario because someone wrote down "It's bad" somewhere along the way.

Soon, we'll get to do this with abortion too. Whew, thank god - no more thinking about that little brain twister. It fucking hurts too much anyway.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 7:23 PM CDT on February 28

Yep. Illegal means let's look at the whole thing in black and white. Whatever you do, don't question the validity of an obviously stupid scenario because someone wrote down "It's bad" somewhere along the way.

I'll throw a big amen in there for that. Illegal doesn't automatically mean wrong.

posted by commander cody at 7:56 PM CDT on February 28

If it weren't for strict enforcement of drug policies like this, I'd feel uncomfortable betting on handicapped atheletes.

[Insert Eddie Izzard quotation here]

posted by yerfatma at 8:07 PM CDT on February 28

Oh come on. If you're an athlete - of any kind - who might be subjected to drug tests, it's probably a good idea if you steer clear of the weed. Right or wrong, performance enhancing or not, you're a bonehead if you're an athlete who smokes while he (or she) might be tested.

posted by Samsonov14 at 8:48 PM CDT on February 28

I think an athlete who is not good enough to play their sport without steroids should quit. Weed on the other hand, I can't say. Some people have good experiences and some have bad ones. You can't blame an athlete for something almost everyone in the general population does.

posted by mattmaddox2005 at 9:20 PM CDT on February 28

Right or wrong, performance enhancing or not, you're a bonehead if you're an athlete who smokes while he (or she) might be tested.

Then the entire NBA is populated by boneheads. But you don't care about that or them - no one does - it's not offensive, surprising or in any way a big deal. In fact, it's a point of humour. But no, these kind of scenarios, for some reason or another, make people think otherwise.

Which I think it's total bullshit.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 9:26 PM CDT on February 28

You can't blame an athlete for something almost everyone in the general population does.

Is this a reference to the number of marijuana smokers in the general population? I would dearly love to see the facts that back this up.

posted by elovrich at 12:15 AM CDT on March 1

Put down the pipe and wheel away. Sucks to be in the chair I'm sure he needs the smoke but he is an athlete subjected to testing.

You can't blame an athlete for something almost everyone in the general population does.

That statement is probably from someone who may have been toking when he said that.

posted by T$PORT4lawschool at 1:08 AM CDT on March 1

If he takes something that makes him get out of the chair and hit an overhead smash, then you have a reason to ban him.

And if word gets out that such a drug exists, wheelchair tennis as we know it may disappear forever.

posted by BullpenPro at 2:27 AM CDT on March 1

That statement is probably from someone who may have been toking when he said that.

Don't argue the merits, argue the presenter. Good to see today's media has made it's mark. Let me know how that works out in a courtroom.

posted by yerfatma at 6:18 AM CDT on March 1

People who think forensics is what they do on CSI; sheesh!

posted by Hugh Janus at 8:37 AM CDT on March 1

tough titty said the kitty when the milk went dry. i mean come on! weed is weed, no matter how u look at it! he should have been banned.

posted by bigknotjustadrink at 8:51 AM CDT on March 1

That statement is probably from someone who may have been toking when he said that.

Don't argue the merits, argue the presenter. Good to see today's media has made it's mark. Let me know how that works out in a courtroom.

posted by yerfatma

Yerfatma you are correct and that is my bad. One should never attack the speaker directly merists is the only proper mode. The correct response is that less than .3% of the population uses marijuana. And I respectfully apologize to mattmaddox2005. I don't know what you mean about the media stuff. Good day

posted by T$PORT4lawschool at 9:06 AM CDT on March 1

The correct response is that less than .3% of the population uses marijuana

Point 3 percent? Are you sure that's right? That has to be .3% of the world, not of the U.S. because if that's true then I find myself in the amazing position of having passed a joint with almost the entire population of pot smokers in the whole country and most of them come from the same Michigan county I do.

Hey! That means southwestern Michigan is the drug capital of America! We're NUMBER ONE! We're NUMBER ONE! Yes! Yes! Yes! Do we get a parade now?

posted by commander cody at 9:38 AM CDT on March 1

The correct response is that less than .3% of the population uses marijuana.

What, the population of ground squirrels in the greater Albuquerque area? Get real.

You're either misinformed, imaginative, lying, or stoned out of your gourd.

posted by Hugh Janus at 10:48 AM CDT on March 1

Soon, we'll get to do this with abortion too.

"Mommy, what's a gagortion?"

And: "A 1992 study by the National Institute for Drug Abuse found that roughly 3 million Americans smoked pot everyday; another 2 million smoked once a month; and some 12 million smoked pot once a year."

That sounds like more than .3 percent to me...but I'm no mathematician.

And: "According to the UN's estimate, 141 million people around the world use marijuana. This represents about 2.5 percent of the world population. Source: United Nations Office for Drug Control and Crime Prevention, Global Illicit Drug Trends 1999 (New York, NY: UNODCCP, 1999), p. 91"

posted by chris2sy at 11:07 AM CDT on March 1

Marijuana Use in the U.S. according to the the National Survey on Drug Use and Health:

"Among persons aged 12 or older, the overall rate of past month marijuana use was about the same in 2004 (6.1 percent) as it was in 2003 (6.2 percent) and 2002 (6.2 percent)."

posted by bperk at 11:26 AM CDT on March 1

I moved from Detroit to Oakland and I think half the population of weed smokers live right next door to me! So right in my buidling I have 50% of that 0.3%! LOL! If you can lose your job or be punished severly for testing positive for weed, DON'T SMOKE IT!

posted by bkdet at 11:30 AM CDT on March 1

The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency has a "TUE - Therapeutic Use Exemption." This process provides a way for athletes to seek permission for a required prohibited medication. As an example, this TUE process would be used for any athlete requesting permission to use medication for Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD). The rules for the TUE were created by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
WADA also has a list of banned substances that includes marijuana. When each athlete signs with their sport's national federation, part of what they sign is acknowledging that they will abide by the anti-doping rules.
The WADA banned substances list includes not only substances that will enhance performance, but substances that could adversely effect an athlete's health (as deemed by WADA).

posted by springsjen at 12:25 PM CDT on March 1

Then the entire NBA is populated by boneheads.

Weedy, are you just figuring this out? Sheesh.

And I have no idea where you're going with the rest of your comment. Yeah, it's kind of funny when Rasheed Wallace gets busted for possesion, because you know what? I got a feeling he'll be just fine. What are you trying to say?

posted by Samsonov14 at 1:27 PM CDT on March 1

Where in the world do these surveys come from? How many peoplle respond honestly in regards to their use of illicit drugs? I, for one, have never been polled for drug use. WTF does the UN know about global pot smoking?

posted by willthrill72 at 1:36 PM CDT on March 1

I remember once in middle school and once in high school they gave us a test looking thing (#2 pencil required) that asked us questions regarding sex, religion, drugs, alcohol, etc...

They told us we could fill them out honestly because neither our parents or the admistration would see them.

posted by njsk8r20 at 1:51 PM CDT on March 1

I moved from Detroit to Oakland and I think half the population of weed smokers live right next door to me!

No I don't, I live in L.A.! Oh, you mean the other half of the .3% of dope smokers!

Actually I quit smoking weed quite awhile back when I decided I wanted to give being an EMT a try. Seems some fire departments object to the idea of you driving an $85,000 ambulance while high and actually test for it! The Bastards! I wonder if I looked through all my old clothes in storage if I'd find a crumpled joint or two though.....hmmmm.....I might be back later......

posted by commander cody at 2:11 PM CDT on March 1

That means southwestern Michigan is the drug capital of America!

Man, I gotta get up with you, 'cause I moved to the area about a month ago and can't find a damn thing!

posted by The_Black_Hand at 2:33 PM CDT on March 1

Sammy - my point was the obvious double standard towards (the sweet) Mary Jane from sports fans.

When the NBA players get busted, no one bats an eye let alone decries the advanced idiocy of weed possibly ruining elegibility.

But when an amateur athlete is caught, it's as if the travesty of the behaviour is that much bigger because the penalty is more so.

The only difference is the rule - and we fans change our attitude about the behaviour according to the rule in place. I think that's bullshit. The rule is the problem - not the behaviour.

posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 3:07 PM CDT on March 1

Ah. I see what you're saying, but I'm not sure I see where you get your ideas from. For the record, I'm not against smoking pot, I'm just for being smart about it. I'm fairly sure we have some friends in common that can attest to that.

Look:

It is a travesty when an amateur gets caught smoking pot, because these guys have no way out. An amateur's piss-test can be damning. It can wreck an amateur's career. I think most sports fans are saddened and disappointed when this happens.

The big guys, well, they get a free pass. They'll be back after some community service. So we sports fans make fun of them.

I think we agree up to this point. Here's the thing, though: The rule is stupid, but the behavior is still the problem.

Everyone knows that marijuana isn't a performance-enhancing drug (unless you count performance in NHL2K6 for the Xbox). The fans have nothing to do with it. But say there's a rule in place. How hard is it to obey the rules during the season?

If you're an athlete and the rule against smoking weed is in place, you're a bonehead if you smoke pot anyway. No matter what the fans say, you'll still be a bonehead. The fans aren't the ones who have given potsmokers in the NBA a get out of jail free card.

If you want to rail against someone, take it up with the comissioners. Not the fans, Weedy. Somehow I don't think "pot is okay" rallies outside stadiums would make a difference. We don't make the decisions.

Don't want to sound like a defeatist, but baby, that's how it is.

posted by Samsonov14 at 4:42 PM CDT on March 1

If you're an athlete and the rule against smoking weed is in place, you're a bonehead if you smoke pot anyway. No matter what the fans say, you'll still be a bonehead. The fans aren't the ones who have given potsmokers in the NBA a get out of jail free card.

I agree that they are boneheads for doing it. I also don't think that anyone in any other league should ever get punished for violating this rule either, pro or ama. Most people at some point in thier life ignore and/or violate rules and laws that they think are stupid and they don't agree with. Hell if we all obeyed all the laws like robots all of the time we'd all be Republicans! Now that's scary!!!

posted by commander cody at 4:56 PM CDT on March 1

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