Are athletes taking fewer PEDs these days?

Buried in a somewhat yawn-inducing story about SuperFed Jeff Novitsky’s quest to serve search warrants on every man, woman and child in the United States by 2016, is an interesting quote from the BALCO-riffic Victor Conte:

“I don’t believe competitive athletes are using designer steroids now. They’re too easily detected – they have too many red flags. As soon as you use them you send a signal to your body to stop producing its own testosterone and they can flag that. Now, they just use low-dose testosterone. The safest thing is to stay below the testing ratio.”

If there’s any truth to this — and say what you want about Conte, but he’s not an idiot about these things — it suggests that, contrary to the assumptions of many, athletes aren’t moving on to more and more exotic PEDs in their oft-repeated effort to “stay one step ahead of the anti-doping authorities.” They’ve stepped back, and as a result, the PED influence in sports is diminishing.


7 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Michael
14 years ago

…or is that what he wants you to believe…?

Jay Reisinger
14 years ago

The I-Team really needs to find something else to write about – I want that 90 seconds of my life back that I spent reading that ridiculous article.  And if Victor Conte was so good at what he does – he wouldn’t have been caught – right?  So thus, he’s not an expert.

Craig Calcaterra
14 years ago

Hey, I warned you that it was boring . . . wink

Glen L
14 years ago

“And if Victor Conte was so good at what he does – he wouldn’t have been caught – right?  So thus, he’s not an expert.”

i believe that’s latin for non-sequitor

Pete Toms
14 years ago

I didn’t read RTA but Victor Conte is certainly an expert on this subject.  Longer term, I’ve always thought the cheaters will stay ahead of the regulators because of the incentives and rewards.  Which isn’t to say that recently the regulators have gained back a bit of ground….

Bill B.
14 years ago

“the PED influence in sports is diminishing. “

Of course, assuming PEDs ever had a distinct effect on a player’s production.

hermitfool
14 years ago

Do we have to rely on Victor Conte’s expertise? Aren’t there some enterprising reporters out there who could talk to the folks on the cutting edge of designer PEDs and give us a handle on what’s really going on?