Doping

I have to admit that I have cheated. I have cut corners at swim practice, I've horded money in Monopoly and bumped the watts up on the computrainer to help my sprint watts. I also have to admit that many times when racing Xterra and I was all alone on the run, I thought about cutting a switchback or two. It always came back to the same thing for me though, why? What's the gain? Could i even accept that gain if I was successful at my cheating?

For me the answer is no. It's always no. I could never stand the fact that my gains would be ill gotten, that a win would be soiled or that I would be labeled as a cheat. It's not worth it to me. My reputation is too important. How my swimmers and athletes see me and how my family sees me is worth far more than any win, any amount of money. My job, my integrity and the integrity of the sport are too important to me. So I would never cheat, never dope and never turn my back if I knew someone was doing it.

Dave Towle said that we need to wait before we judge people and their doping suspensions. I don't understand that statement. I like these guys and I can say that I enjoy racing them and I enjoy their company. However, I don't care if they were given it, took it by mistake, ordered it for someone else or whatever. They screwed up and put everything in jeopardy. Their teams, their families and their friends. They are guilty of something, even if it is merely bad judgment. Doesn't mean I hate these guys or that they can never be forgiven as people, but they can never be forgiven as athletes or as managers of athletes.