Ah right, it doesn't take long for the hypocrisy to set in! If you test for one, you should test for them all!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 23/07/2009 13:27:14    358341

Bald Eagle
County: All
Posts: 805

358341 Ah right, it doesn't take long for the hypocrisy to set in! If you test for one, you should test for them all!

Yes I agree.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/07/2009 13:33:47    358360

hardly hypocrisy eagle - rec drugs have nothing to do with GAA, Perform enhancers do. Fairly simple

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4669 - 23/07/2009 13:36:16    358367

bad.monkey
County: USA
Posts: 1256

Any sportsperson playing at the top level should be liable to be drug tested. If you do not even randomly test for drugs, you are basically condoning it.
___________________________________________________

Are you therefore condoning the use of recreational drugs by saying they shouldn't be tested for?

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 23/07/2009 13:47:30    358397

I know that intercouty players are tested for drugs. Not the whole team a couple at random are picked. Just because they are not professional sportspersons doesnt mean they shouldnt be tested. The GAA and its intercounty players just as good or even better than professional sportspersons. If the GAA took away this testing it would run the risk of players taking preformance inhancing drugs, not saying they would but saying they would be able to without being caught.

true..spake (Tyrone) - Posts: 41 - 23/07/2009 13:48:22    358400

It is not for the gaa or me to comment on or judge what these players do in their personal lives ie rec drugs. They are amateurs and that is their own business.

However using performance enhancing drugs affects the GAA as in using them the player is attempting to gain an advantage over other players on the pitch and is in fact cheating.

There is a clear differnce between the two. One is the players personal life, the other is GAA related.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4669 - 23/07/2009 13:56:09    358422

bad.monkey - You made the point that professional and amateur doesn't matter. I was merely pointing out the flaw in your statement. As to your statement about not knowing the difference between intercounty and tag rugby, I am quite aware as I have fallen into both brackets during my life.

gaamad (Westmeath) - Posts: 101 - 23/07/2009 14:07:45    358453

The same thing could be said for Matt Steven and Justin Harrison, both of whom are professional sportsmen who have received bans for use of recreational drugs during the off season, are they different because they are professionals?

The GAA players may be amateurs, but there are a lot of men in the GAA that make a living out of the sport that these men train for, and fill stadiums out regularly. If you are an inter-county player, you have a duty to conduct yourself in a way that depicts you as a positive rolemodel both on and off the pitch, you have said so yourself yet you don't see players banned for pulling jerseys etc, when you are, as you have said cheating!

Also, why should these men be made face the shame if they do, say, drink too much coffee the morning of a match or use the wrong inhaler when they are not making money from the games that they play? I say it again, if they are not getting paid, they should not be getting tested!

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 23/07/2009 14:13:36    358470

"23/07/2009 13:56:09
bad.monkey
County: USA
Posts: 1259

There is a clear differnce between the two. One is the players personal life, the other is GAA related."

The problem is their isn't a clear difference even when it come to recreational drugs. When I was playing I was not allowed to take cold and flu remedies, and a long list of other things. We didn't have massive teams of qualified doctors or pharmacists to monitor our diet on a 24 hour basis in the same way professional athletes do. Asthma suffers are now scared due to the bull that Aidan O'Mahony went through last year. It's a complete joke!

gaamad (Westmeath) - Posts: 101 - 23/07/2009 14:23:12    358500

Amateur sports are drug tested-look at the Olympics. However, its invasive enough and the drug test should only relate to the sports enhancing drugs (some recreational drugs come into this category anyway). It is a disgrace that information was leaked on Aidan O Mahony last year and also that he had to go through months of waiting for their verdict after it hit the newspapers.

Another thing that I have a problem with is that asthma sufferers should not have to restrict their use of their inhalers because depending on their aerobic activity, pollen level (think June-July sports with loads of pollen around which affects some asthmatics), levels of hydration (water intake, sweating, sunshine) etc they can have a higher need to use their inhalers or levels can seem higher in the blood. I have heard that some asthma sufferers are now cautious of using their inhalers in games after what Aidan went through. That is wrong.

Finally I would agree-refs should be tested too-def some dubious decisions.

kerrykerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1779 - 23/07/2009 14:44:27    358544

fred. Well some of their decisions over the years has made me wonder.

Real Kerry Fan (None) - Posts: 2957 - 23/07/2009 14:52:36    358563

yes they are different because that is their job. If i was caught taking illegal recreational drugs i would lose my job. However my gaa club would not ban me because it is nothing to do with them.

As for jersey pulling and taking performance enhancing drugs being the same...

Taking performance enhancing drugs is the GAA's business because they are looking for an advantage on the pitch. Taking recreational drugs is part of a players personal life and nothing to do with the GAA. Im not sure how much simplier i can make it.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4669 - 23/07/2009 15:04:30    358590

Clutching at straws now lad when you try and claim that i said that taking performance enhancers and pulling a jersey were the same! Sad lad sad!

So, basically what you are saying is that is ok for an inter county GAA player to take recreational drugs? You stated that the professional players deserved their bans because that was their job, but what about the GAA players that can potentially lose their jobs should they fail a drugs test for a sport where they get no financial gain?

Bald Eagle (None) - Posts: 1009 - 23/07/2009 15:21:22    358625

i cant make it any simplier for you than i already have.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4669 - 23/07/2009 15:25:04    358631

bad.monkey
County: USA
Posts: 1263

What about "Pride in the jesrey" Bad Monkey.. You represent your County both on and off the field.

jimbodub (Dublin) - Posts: 20763 - 23/07/2009 15:28:10    358642

Jimbo i wouldnt encourage anyone gaa player or not to take recreational drugs but if they do its their choice. Its not a matter for the GAA. I dont agree with your argument that you represent your county on and off the field, these are amateur players so what they do off the field is no one elses business.

Do you think a player arrested for speeding should also be banned, or for drink driving...etc. They are in your eyes representing their county while doing this despite it happening off the field in their personal life. If that was the case i know a number of intercounty players who wouldnt be playing now. What amateurs do away from the game should be left there, its no one elses business

Taking performance enhancing drugs is not part of their private life, they are doing it to gain an illegal advantage on the pitch therefore is the gaa's business and they are right to do drug tests for this.

bad.monkey (USA) - Posts: 4669 - 23/07/2009 15:38:34    358676

They should be tested as drugs are illegal and anyone caught with them should get a big ban.

Dellboypolecat (Tyrone) - Posts: 15069 - 23/07/2009 16:25:18    358790

badmonkey has a point-the players have enough pressure on them for their sport. THe drug test should be specific only to the drugs banned by the Anti-doping agency. There are some recreational drugs in this list so they will be covered but otherwise thats ENOUGH

kerrykerry (Kerry) - Posts: 1779 - 23/07/2009 16:31:30    358800

i agree totally with drug testing, and in fact i will test any drugs they have!!!!!!

pig.ignorant (Derry) - Posts: 655 - 23/07/2009 16:54:11    358847

Some of them refs must be on LSD, the calls they make!

If players use recreational drugs and it doesn't hurt their game then I don't think it should be anyones business.

Redfoot (Cork) - Posts: 388 - 23/07/2009 17:10:28    358894