Children Using Doping Drugs!
A new study suggests that more and more children are turning to performance enhancement drugs! I am completely disgusted at this news (although not surprised).
Study: 11-Year-Old Athletes Using Doping Drugs
As stated within:
In the beginning of the study, researchers found 1.2 percent of the preteens had taken a doping agent at least once in the previous six months. That number jumped to 3 percent four years later.
And while 15 percent of the 11-year-olds polled were using doping agents once a week, that figure more than doubles to 38 percent amongst the 15-year-olds.
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This news is sickening. There are no 11 year old athletes who are getting these drugs without assistance! Unfortunately, this assistance is often coming from a parent. Anyone who allows, supports, and/or provides an 11 year old with an illegal drug is a disgusting criminal.
Perhaps these parents are living their dreams through a child? Perhaps they weren’t good enough, so now they want to build their children up through illegal drugs? What the hell is wrong with our world? How can a parent risk the safety of a young child for the sake of winning a youth title? Remember, we are talking about 11 year olds! When I was 11, I was playing Little League baseball. You don’t get paid to play Little League! Is it really worth the potential health risks?
These parents should instead show their kids information such as the following:
11 Reasons Why Steroids Don’t Work
This list is also discussed in the Bigger Faster Stronger text (discussed previously on this blog).
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And to those youngsters reading this blog, I’ve never taken ANY performance enhancement drugs. NEVER! You don’t need drugs to perform. The great athletes from yesteryear didn’t need drugs! Sugar Ray Robinson didn’t need drugs to become the greatest fighter of all time! Drugs won’t teach you how to throw a left hook!
Don’t let a coulda-woulda-shoulda been coach convince you to take illegal drugs. If you put in the work (ie. bust your ass), work with a well designed program, make time for recovery/restoration, etc… you can go as far as you want.
Ross
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It’s child abuse. An 11 year-old MUST play sports for FUN. Like you say, Ross, it’s the coach or parents seeking personal gain at the child’s expense. That expense being lifetime health problems.
I don’t know all the details about Stallone getting caught with steroids at the airport in Autralia, but it’s shameful. The trickle down effect of steroid demand by professional athletes and ACTORS(geez) is destruction of young kids.
No doubt that, as Corey says, any pharmacological product given to a child for no reason other than to enhance physical or sports performance constitutes child abuse.
A word of caution, though: This is hardly an enlightening article, nor far from a complete description of the factors considered. I’d like to look at the British Journal’s piece. Salbutamol is an asthma drug. I don’t have a problem with kids getting asthma medication when they need it. Corticosteroids? Could be a skin cream for eczema. “Anabolic agents”? Like what? Why “agents” instead of “steroids”? And “other stimulants” could well include ADHD medications such as Ritalin. If a kid needs a medication, it’s child abuse NOT to provide it. If the hysterical press wants to blow that up into an accusation of drugging-for-performance-reasons only, it needs to be a little more forthcoming with the details.
Beta-2 agonists are prohibited substances in sport. You are correct in stating that salbutamol by inhalation is permitted to treat allergic asthma, BUT when levels of salbutamol in urine exceed 1000 ng/mL, this IS considered as a doping violation.
Keep in mind that almost half of the participants from this study believe that use of banned agents contributed to their success on the playing field. This is my primary problem.