If you have been watching the Olympics (shame on you if you haven’t) then you know about the controversy surrounding the Russians competing in the games. Many of their athletes have been caught failing drug tests and are still being allowed to compete. Specifically, many of their track and field athletes have been barred from competition but the their country is still allowed to compete in the games.
As a swimmer, an interesting interview with first time Olympian Lilly King really struck a chord with me. There was live feed in the ready room, showing that she was watching the races before her like many athletes do. In the heat before hers was Yulia Efimova from Russia, who had been suspended before for doping and was suspended from the games originally, but was reinstated right before her race. As Efimova won her heat, she held up her finger to signify number one, and while watching that in the ready room, King wagged her same finger back at the screen.
In her post race interview, King explains her thoughts, “You're shaking your finger number one, and you've been caught for drug cheating. I'm just not a fan.” At 19 years old, she has summed it up so well. Of course we know now that King won the gold medal in that event, beating Efimova. Thank you Lilly King for standing up for all athletes who work hard and prove that drugs are not needed to be the best. Lilly, you will always be No. 1 in my heart!
While it isn’t always known when there is a positive drug test if the person knew the drug was in their system, I am still under the firm belief that what you put in your body is your decision. If you do not want to risk getting a positive drug test, especially when you compete on such a high level, don’t take supplements. That’s pretty severe but it’s true. Take ownership of your body.
As a member of the military who gets drug tested frequently and as a division one athlete, my views on doping are pretty firm. There is absolutely no reason to dope; the human body is incredible and has been tested time in and time out. Look at all the athletes that are out there winning medals without using any sort of performance enhancing drugs. If you doubt your own body that much that you need to take drugs to be better, then there is no need to compete. Put forth the effort like everyone else does, work harder than everyone else, train smarter. Winning a medal when you have taken steroids in the past or even in the present is taking away that medal from someone else who worked harder than you and stayed clean. Doping could not only cost you your reputation in the end but could also harm your body for the future.
On the topic of doping, after watching The Last Gold and learning the story of the 1976 Olympics where the East Germans were doping, my heart went out to those women on that USA swimming team. They worked hard and played fair, only to be beat by superhumans. I am in no way blaming those East German swimmers (still up for question if they knew they were being doped) but I blame the country. For me, winning fair and square is worth every sore muscle, injury, and missed social event. Big props to those clean athletes for taking a stand and doing great in Rio. You are an inspiration to all athletes out there and prove that with hard work come rewards, whether it’s a gold medal or a personal best.
