Should Lifters Who Test Positive In The USAPL Be Prosecuted?

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Create: 01/03/2006 - 08:09
Author: admin
An interesting discussion going on over at the USAPL forum about whether lifters found violating their drug policy should be reported to authorities for prosecution. The original poster remarks:

ABOUT A WEEK AGO I HAD A INTERESTING TALK WITH SOME USAPL LIFTERS ABOUT WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TO PEOPLE WHO TEST POSITVE AT A USAPL POWERLIFTING CONTEST. THE GENERAL OPINION WAS THAT BANNING THEM FOR A FEW YEARS WAS NOT ENOUGH. THEY SHOULD BE PROSECUTED BY HAVING THE TEST TEST RESULTS SENT TO THE LOCAL ATHORITIES AND THUS BRINGING THE MATTER BEFOR THE LOCAL COURT.

Replies include:

This could go in a number of directions, and I am all for giving more teeth to our drug testing. However what you’re suggesting would be very difficult at best to do. If for only one reason, drug failures are not always caused by illegal activity. So what would the authorities do about such failures? Nothing really.

Just because they failed the test doesn't necessarily mean that they did anything illegal. The failure could have been caused by an over the counter supplement, or steriods which were obtained by prescription.

I would love to see users prosecuted but I can tell you from a prosecutors point of view it would be a logistical nightmare. In my jurisdiction we only prosecute if we actually retrive the illegal substance and then we have to send it to BCI (the state lab) for testing... It is possible to prosecute but given the volume of other drug cases I doubt if too many jurisdictions would pursue those cases. It would also require those people from the private labs to come in and testify and believe me that is expensive.

Comments

Submitted by Nick Winters (not verified) on
That is bullshit, the USAPL thinks a little too highly of themselves. They should know that nothing will come of reporting the test results. A person cannot be arrested for using an illegal drug, only for its possession and distribution. Ban the fuckers for life, but reporting people to the authorities is retarded.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on
We are a fraternity of a few members. No one else likes powerlifters, we have no fan base and gym owners usually dislike us. That being said we are going to turn in our own brothers for a positive drug test? Sure, ban them...make them lift against others using. Turning them is against the code we profess to have. Remember the one....we help other lifters at the meet and at the gym...we don't turn in our brethren for making mistakes due to their love of the iron and lifting more of it.

Submitted by admin on
Even if reporting was instituted it would likely result in very few prosecutions for some of the reasons listed above. As both of you have said, long term or even lifetime bans send an extremely resounding message. Is going any further really necessary? Other than alienating many in the powerlifting community, will it further serve to deter lifters who use from lifting in the USAPL?