does the pannel think..


there should be a difference in attitudes/ penalties.

there will ever be sportsmen who can take drugs that do not enhance performance on the pitch.

is alcohol a drug, if so should it be banned in sport

what message should we give our kids






i personally think there is a difference between a person who takes steroids to cheat and a person who smokes canabis post match to relax.

i do however believe that until laws are changed (i doubt they will be) players should abide by current restrictions

At the end of the day if it's an illegal substance, which cannabis is, imo you deserve to get banned.

i don't think you've read my post, i agree. however that was not what i asked.

Tough one this Slim.

Performance enhancing drug users should first of all be ashamed of themselves for needing to take such things to compete with other sportsmen/women and secondly they should be met with a very hefty ban, more than 2 years maybe even life in some circumstances.

Recreational drug use is a tough one, i personally don't have a problem with anybody taking drugs and i'm sure some people reading this have taken them sometime in there lives, however when your in a job were drug testing is active and your a role model for younger people then surely you must think twice about doing such thing and a two year ban is probably about right for recreational drug users in sports.

Alcohol is classed as a drug but it isn't classed as illegal so drinking on a night out should be fine unless it impacts on your sporting performance then the ban or fine should be left down to the club.

Players know the rules before they sign up to a contract or sporting association and for that time they should stay within the rules, if there not happy with the rules then they shouldn't bother competing in sports full stop.

i seem to agree with you mostly, the one thing i have a problem with, and i'm gonna get slated for saying this, recreational drug use generally will have a negative impact on sportsmen/ women and true champions would not even consider using, just think how much better joey johns would have been if he had not dabbled, role model wise 0/10, poor example to our kids etc.

recreational drug use is rife nearly half (42%) of this country age 16-60 have smoked canabis once or still do. no one can say canabis can enhance sporting peformance, apart from maybe some snow boarders who claimed it was part of their culture in the olympics a few years ago!

so why is it's use controlled by sporting bodies, illegality i supose? i don't know.. a difficult one yes

Performance enhancing, Ban.
Recreational, No ban.

Isn't that condoning the use of an illegal substance?

Performance enhancing, ban.
Recreational, prison.

If remaining in contract is seen as condoning illegal activities then I would refer you to Castleford and Mr Cockayne and his criminal conviction or Saints and Pryce.

Furthermore it is not illegal to use drugs, just to be caught in possession.

I am (as usual) with Gary Numan on this one.

pedantic i know, but if you admit drug use to a police officer retrospectively you can be charged. so use is therefore an illegal act

I agree that some recreational drugs could have an impact on the performance of a sportsman/woman if it's taken a few nights before the event. I can only gather that recreational drug use is controlled by sporting bodies to help keep the sport clean of all drugs and keep the sport in a good light, they don't want to be seen as promoting or allowing illegal acts within the game, hence the reason for the ban when somebody breaks those rules.

How sweet.x

Ban for both, not only are non performance enhancing drugs like cocaine a bad habit to get into, especially when you're a big role model like these players are. But it can also mask performance enhancing drugs too.

really? how? proof please

cocaine masks what exactly

Perhaps if you admit possession you are right - not sure many people do that. It's impossible for the Police to catch someone off their head without possession and charge under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

For completeness the Misuse of Drugs Act states that it is an offence to:

1. possess a controlled substance unlawfully
2. possess a controlled substance with intent to supply it
3. supply or offer to supply a controlled drug (even if it is given away for free)
4. allow a house, flat or office to be used by people taking drugs

So Hock would not be charged with any criminal offence even if he was found to have taken Cocaine.

I can see people sharpening the knives already. I shall have a look and report back.

but if he admitted the use he could be charged. as stated before pedantic i know,

Quote ="Wire On The Telly"icon_smile.gif I can see people sharpening the knives already. I shall have a look and report back. '" www.scoresreport.com/tag/deuce-m ... gs-report/ Quote Water pills are deemed illegal in the NFL because they can be used to mask positive steroid tests. However, considering the players who have tested positive, the intent appears to be to cut weight, and not for a masking agent.'" www.howstuffworks.com/athletic-drug-test.htm Quote Weight Control Diuretics are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure and are often found in diet pills. Diuretics act on the kidney to increase the flow of urine. They are used by athletes whose events have weight restrictions -- sports like weightlifting, horse racing and rowing. Diuretics are also used to mask the use of other drugs. Because they increase the amount of urine produced, they dilute the concentration of other drugs in the urine. Possible side effects include dehydration, dizziness, cramps, heart damage and kidney failure.'" www.buysteroids.net/performance-enhance ... e-they.php Quote Masking drugs – are used to mask the presence of other substances to avoid detection in drug tests. An example is epitestosterone, which help restore the testosterone levels to normal after doping with anabolic steroids.'" I am no expert and not even a laymen but there does appear to be products available to mask performance enhancing drugs. I don't know what they are or for which they intend to mask or hide. All i know is previously when a league player has been found to use a non performance enhancing drug, they are banned not just for bringing game into disrepute, but as it can mask other drugs, which are 'performance enhancing drugs'. Those links are not perfect but its 3 minutes on google for you.

Quote ="Wire On The Telly"icon_smile.gif I can see people sharpening the knives already. I shall have a look and report back. '" www.scoresreport.com/tag/deuce-m ... gs-report/ Quote Water pills are deemed illegal in the NFL because they can be used to mask positive steroid tests. However, considering the players who have tested positive, the intent appears to be to cut weight, and not for a masking agent.'" www.howstuffworks.com/athletic-drug-test.htm Quote Weight Control Diuretics are commonly prescribed to treat high blood pressure and are often found in diet pills. Diuretics act on the kidney to increase the flow of urine. They are used by athletes whose events have weight restrictions -- sports like weightlifting, horse racing and rowing. Diuretics are also used to mask the use of other drugs. Because they increase the amount of urine produced, they dilute the concentration of other drugs in the urine. Possible side effects include dehydration, dizziness, cramps, heart damage and kidney failure.'" www.buysteroids.net/performance-enhance ... e-they.php Quote Masking drugs – are used to mask the presence of other substances to avoid detection in drug tests. An example is epitestosterone, which help restore the testosterone levels to normal after doping with anabolic steroids.'" I am no expert and not even a laymen but there does appear to be products available to mask performance enhancing drugs. I don't know what they are or for which they intend to mask or hide. All i know is previously when a league player has been found to use a non performance enhancing drug, they are banned not just for bringing game into disrepute, but as it can mask other drugs, which are 'performance enhancing drugs'. Those links are not perfect but its 3 minutes on google for you.

Who needs Sports Lawyers when we have got WOTT and Sons LLP.

Quote ="Wire On The Telly"www.scoresreport.com/tag/deuce-mcallister-performance-enhancing-drugs-report/ www.howstuffworks.com/athletic-drug-test.htm www.buysteroids.net/performance-enhance ... e-they.php I am no expert and not even a laymen but there does appear to be products available to mask performance enhancing drugs. I don't know what they are or for which they intend to mask or hide. All i know is previously when a league player has been found to use a non performance enhancing drug, they are banned not just for bringing game into disrepute, but as it can mask other drugs, which are 'performance enhancing drugs'. Those links are not perfect but its 3 minutes on google for you.'" i know people mask drug use however recreational drugs don't mask performance enhancing drugs there would be no point under current laws. although i believe even if the law changed they would have no viable role as a masking agent.

Quote ="Wire On The Telly"www.scoresreport.com/tag/deuce-mcallister-performance-enhancing-drugs-report/ www.howstuffworks.com/athletic-drug-test.htm www.buysteroids.net/performance-enhance ... e-they.php I am no expert and not even a laymen but there does appear to be products available to mask performance enhancing drugs. I don't know what they are or for which they intend to mask or hide. All i know is previously when a league player has been found to use a non performance enhancing drug, they are banned not just for bringing game into disrepute, but as it can mask other drugs, which are 'performance enhancing drugs'. Those links are not perfect but its 3 minutes on google for you.'" i know people mask drug use however recreational drugs don't mask performance enhancing drugs there would be no point under current laws. although i believe even if the law changed they would have no viable role as a masking agent.

I am what I am and I do what i can.

What is all this role model garbage.

Teenagers snort coke because their drugged up mates do it and they want to gain social credibility. Nobody does coke because they want to be like Gareth Hock.

Coke is everywhere at bars and clubs I go to in Manchester, especially amongst those with well paid professions.

Some Wigan supporting kids want to grow up and be an international player like Gareth Hock so that's what we mean by role model and your also wrong on your first point but that's an all whole new can of worms.

Coke is not a drug used a lot by skint kids. At £50 /gram typically its out of reach. I agree with Sally's point on the role model bit.