If paintball became an olympic sport, would you submit to drug testing?

[Tyger]

I brought this up over at AO, but I wanted to see what you all thought of this too. It's always brought up to bring paintball into the olympics. Well, I looked up the IOC rules for a sport to be in the olympics. Here's two of the requirements :

from the IOC's rules (Rule 52) (p 80)

1.1.1 : Only sports widely practiced by men in at least 75 countries and on four continents, and by women in at least 40 countries and on three continents, may be included in the olympics.

As of now, we MORE than likely fit this requirement. But it's a rule below that which caught my eye.

1.1.3 : Only sports that adopt and implement the World Anti-Doping Code can be included and remain in the programme of the Olympic Games.

And, just for the sake of argument, here's a list of banned substances from a UK site. Drugs like hasish / marijuana, cocane, ephedrine, and a whole lot more is on the banned substance list. And they can test any time, anywhere, without warning. Oh yeah, and they ALWAYS test the winners of an event.

So it brings the question. Would you, or your team, submit yourselves to random drug testing?

Have fun with this one folks...

-Tyger

 

[dr.strangelove]

This is pretty damn simple, if you're not doping, you won't get caught doping! I'd happily submit to drug testing if paintball got to the olympics (not that I'd probably make it on an olympic team, but...). What's so outrageous about that list of banned substances? Or the fact that athletes have to be tested at random for them? Buck up. If you ain't cheating, what do you have to worry about?

 

[camsmith]

It's not just about cheating. The list of banned substances is pretty extensive and you have to understand that everything you eat, drink or otherwise ingest might affect this result.

Drug testing is a pretty big invasion into a person's life.

Mind you, it is usually only limited to the "elite athletes" in the sport (i.e. those possible Olympic entrants, identified by the national body). These athletes have to sign a form, stating that they are aware of the drug testing requirements. No sign, no country representation.

 

[jotajotaZ]

Not limited

If I understood correctly the Olympic chapter (had to read it the other day for another forum discussion ) for a sport to be Olympic, the Federations have to run the drug tests too, so almost any (echonomics allowing) participant in any official competition would be subject to drug testing.

For the looks of it in soccer here in Spain it would only apply to those playing in the pro leagues (premiere and second).

And yes, the drug list is long... any asthmatic or alergic guy would be in trouble for example.

 

[Tom Allen]

Shouldn't we be concentrating on getting paintball as a recognised sport first.
Surely this is the first milestone to achieve.

 

[camsmith]

Ton, the thread title is "If paintball... olympic...", I'd assume, for the purposes of this hypothetical thread, that if it made the olympics, it would already be a recognised sport.

 

[Tom Allen]

Originally posted by camsmith
Ton, the thread title is "If paintball... olympic...", I'd assume, for the purposes of this hypothetical thread, that if it made the olympics, it would already be a recognised sport.

Then to answer the thread topic, yes i would be happy to be drug tested.
It's a shame sport has got to the level where drug testing is needed, if honesty was our first principle, rather than winning, then this would not be an issue.

 

[dr.strangelove]

Originally posted by camsmith
The list of banned substances is pretty extensive and you have to understand that everything you eat, drink or otherwise ingest might affect this result.

Drug testing is a pretty big invasion into a person's life.

I do understand that. So you examine the list, don't ingest anything on it, and what have you to worry about? I didn't see anything on that list that I frequently take in recognizable doses. And I think it's worth having your "privacy invaded" to make sure that play is fair and that no one is cheating. One might also say that subjecting your marker to bounce testing is an invasion of one's privacy, but it's for the good of the game. Those who don't like it will either adapt or not play I guess, and we'll all be better off having weeded out the players who aren't conducting themselves like athletes.

 

[Buddha 3]

Hey, a henhouse, let's see if I can lob a stick in there...

Personally, I have no problem at all with doping. I don't think of it as cheating.

Let me put on my flame retarding clothing....

 

[Tom Allen]

It must be quiet on the forum, for this kickstart.