Drugs and the current use is a no win issue for the IFBB pro div, the pros and even Chic as rep. Why? Unlike most other pro sports, the use of drugs is accpepted by the pro bodybuilders and fans. In baseball the avg fan goes beserk over the guys in baseball doing roids and demanded a stop to it. Now, despite his incriedble performance on the field, Bonds gets a good share of boos and negative press from BASEBALL/sports fans.
If bodybuilding operated in a societal vacuum or was in a situation where the federal drug laws did NOT apply to it, we could all sail along smoothly, as is.
However, the values and ideas we share as members of the serious bodybuilding world don't matter to a judge or DEA agent. What matters is the federal drug law and right now much of the 'roid/drug use we know goes on , is illegal. Notice I said illgeal , not cheating or unethical as everyone at the elite level pretty much does the same kind of things.
When top bodybuilders get busted and brought in for involvement with "performance enhancing" drugs, they can't use " everyone in bodybuilding does it" or "I am not hurting anyone"as a LEGAL defense.
On the other hand if real , legit drug testing was put in place to ban much of the use, many of the fans would lose interest and stop going to shows. That is a real fear and I understand it as a lover of the sport. I know that while I may strongly support drug free pros, many would not and in the end the pro shows would go belly up.
I know I wouldn't want to be the first promter to back $$$ the first fully drug tested IFBB pro event.
The health issues are also at stake here. Right now we have a sport where a guy has to take fairly substantial LEGAL and health risks to make it in the sport as a top bodybuilder. Chic did a noble thing getting health ins for the pros, but that is band aid in terms of what is really needed to keep them healthy.
The fans don't seem to support natural guys no matter how much it is tried, a lot of hardcore fans just don't support "drug free" with any consistancy. It is my fear that as the drug use gets more extreme we will see more of a health crisis along with an increase in high profile guys getting busted by the feds.
This will hurt getting sponers for shows and cause the sport to become smaller and more cult-like. Consider how in the age of 500 channels digital cable we don't have bodybuilding shows on even the most obscure networks.
In the end it is us, the FANS, that must support a change to sanity and reason if we are to see our sport grow or even survive . I am tired of seeing the top bodybuilders I admire having severe health issues or getting busted , etc. I know they are doing what they need to , in order to compete and please the fans, judges , etc.
I for one would support a less massive freaky bodybuilder and see them NOT having to risk the law and their health. We don't need a draconian drug czar or anyone pointing fingers. We simply need good sense by the actual pros and support of the shows by the fans.
I suspect this will fall on deaf ears by most in bodybuilding and on this board.
Thus, I will continue to love and support my sport, but fear the worse will happen.
Sincerely, Howard White in Ga
