COMMENTARY: Steroids on the Playground?

c. 2000 Religion News Service (Dale Hanson Bourke is the mother of two teen-age sons and the author of five books.) (UNDATED) The Olympic Games offer us a chance to witness how years of training, practicing, sweating and persevering can mold an individual into a champion athlete. At best, they inspire us and our children […]

c. 2000 Religion News Service

(Dale Hanson Bourke is the mother of two teen-age sons and the author of five books.)

(UNDATED) The Olympic Games offer us a chance to witness how years of training, practicing, sweating and persevering can mold an individual into a champion athlete. At best, they inspire us and our children to strive harder to excel. But these Olympic Games are also reminding us of the cloud hanging over athletics in this country and the world.


The allegations of drug use against U.S. shot putter C.J. Hunter have focused attention on what some claim is widespread usage of drugs, especially in sports dependent on strength and bulk. Although Hunter was not competing in the Olympics, the release of information about his earlier drug tests is being used to criticize the United States.

One Olympic official claimed the United States is “in denial” about the widespread usage among American athletes. While some of the bickering is possibly motivated by American criticisms of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), this particular comment may be on the mark.

We tend to think of our athletes as clean compared to some of the former Soviet block competitors who appeared downright misshapen in the old, pre-random testing days.

But these days we may have more cleaning up to do than we realize. The trouble in this country starts young and not necessarily at the championship level.

Walk on to any high school campus in the country and take a look at some of the young men playing football, lacrosse or competing in certain track and field events. While many are doing serious weight lifting and training on resistance machines aimed at building muscles, some seem to be “bulking up” at an alarming rate.

One high school teacher told me he and other teachers have been shocked to see a rising number of young men changing shape within months. Many seem to have other symptoms consistent with steroid usage, including acne flare ups and mood swings.

Research seems to confirm their suspicions. A recent Penn State study found 7 percent of adolescent boys had taken steroids.


Hugely popular among teen-age boys are supplements found in so-called health and nutrition stores promising to help build muscle and endurance. Most of these substances are unregulated and some of them would result in positive drug testing of the type used at the Olympics.

In fact, Hunter says his positive tests may have occurred because of a health drink he consumed which did not list any of the banned substances as ingredients.

The fact is that an alarming number of young athletes are viewing the use of untested supplements and drugs as necessary to maintain a high-school-level competitiveness. “SportsParents” magazine warns that the widespread usage of these substances could be seriously endangering our children’s long-term health.

Steroids can damage the liver, inhibit immune systems and weaken tendons and ligaments in young people, according to a recent article. They also increase agressiveness, mood swings and suicidal tendencies during a time when many teens already experience stress.

While some college athletes are now being tested for drug use because of the efforts of the NCAA, any alleged usage at the high school level or younger seems to be generally ignored.

Teens themselves seem confused over the use of widely available supplements. How could it be bad for you if you can buy it at the mall seems to be the common reaction.


It’s time for this country to wake up to what is happening with our young athletes. We must educate young people about performance-enhancing supplements and drugs and their side effects. We need to encourage our coaches to speak candidly to their athletes about drug usage. And as parents we must become more involved in this potentially life-threatening problem.

DEA END BOURKE

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