Post#34 » by LLJ » Fri Aug 15, 2008 4:32 pm
I can't even try to work out the complexities of how things work backstage for drug tests, but when it was revealed that those people in the USOC managed to cover up Carl Lewis' positive drug tests prior to his Olympic run in 1988, we had to know that this **** can go really deep into the upper echelons of the state. WHo knows if there isn't another way for some of the higher ups (including the state) to cover up for Phelps.
The bottom line is Phelps is a big marketing entity and that's something you want to keep clean. Was Marion Jones as big a marketing entity? She was a winner, but I'm not sure she really captured the American public's mind like Phelps has.
And remember, Jones came out and spoke out against doping as well, PRIOR to her getting caught. So just because Phelps willing gets tested and speaks out against it, doesn't mean he's not doing it.
Basically what I'm saying is, America has the clout and power to cover the tracks of a top commodity if they really need to. And now China probably does too. I'm sure if Phelps is doping he knows he will never get caught; many of the TOP Chinese athletes might get away with it too. Occasionally a big superpower will allow one of their athletes to get disgraced, but if a marketing superstar in China like Wang Wei is doping, he might be covered up just as well as someone like Phelps might be.
Smaller countries can't get away with it as well since they don't have the power and clout like superpowers do.
And slightly OT, a lot of people were claiming that McGuire and Bonds were genetic freaks as well. No doubt they would still be very good without drugs, but would they be as unbelievable as they were without it. Would some of those home runs come up just a little shorter than a home run? Who knows.
All I know is, I've seen a lot of naturally dominant athletes, but they've almost always excelled in many tight situations. Even Mark Spitz, from the footage I've seen, sometimes only beat the next best swimmer by a slim margin. Guys who are outclassing others by such a large margin, whether by 15-20 feet in the pool, or by smacking 50-60 more home runs in a season than the majority of other baseball players, has to be seen as suspicious.