David EdwardsManly and the "Calf Extract" Saga.
July 2nd 2008 02:27
The Manly Sea Eagles have found themselves on the defensive after it was revealed that the club has had a long history of using calf blood extract for the purposes of aiding injured players to recover more quickly. Calves blood extract, known as "Actovegin", is not listed as a banned product by the World Anti-Doping Agency, but questions have been raised about the moral and ethical practice of injecting the substance to gain an advantage.
SportingMind can't help but wonder if the players themselves have the option of refusing this treatment or if these questionable methods are imposed upon them without consent. It seems that footballers have access to the latest and most innovative advances in medical science, leaving the 'average Joe' to content themselves with a pack of over-the-counter Nurofen, or perhaps a tube of Denco-rub at best.
Footballers/athletes are little more than medical experiments - guinea pigs for modern science. Much like in Nazi Germany, where Nazi scientists conducted "psuedo-scientific" human experimentations on prisoners, football clubs are given the licence to conduct innovative experiments on footballers - all in the name of quick recovery, or some sort of slim on-field advantage.
Whilst it is tempting to vent about how said scientists should be putting their tertiary degrees to better use - rather than attempting to get Luke Williamson back from injury within 2 weeks instead of a full month (which is a matter of great significance, lets not underestimate that), nonetheless SportingMind does secretly enjoy these stories that circulate from time to time. Scientists are working around the clock to give athletes the most minute of advantages. We've seen it with the full-body swim wear that Thorpie wore in 2000, and Cathy Freeman won gold in a similar suit in the same Olympics. Recently Nick Malceski from the Swans underwent radical treatment overseas to fix a season ending knee injury, which was very successful.
The most laughable legal medicine which is said to have a positive effect on athletes is of course Viagra. Who knows how great a player Brazilian soccer player Pele might have been if he was taking Viagra whilst he was playing, instead of spruiking the product as a 62 year old man? If Viagra is seen to help assist footy players in getting more blood to their muscles, therefore giving them better energy and improving performance, then SportingMind can predict that Viagra sales will go up by the millions. Old, overweight men will no longer feel embarassed about going to their local G.P. for a prescription, instead claiming they need the product for their "Over 45 Soccer Team" in order to get the best out of themselves on the field.
This new Actovegin revelation could catch on, with more clubs in the NRL likely to follow Manly's lead. SportingMind insists however that no calf extract be used for NZ Warrior Brent Tate, as Tate already appears to have a bovine genetic make-up as it is. To add calf extract to Tate would be just be a standard blood donation, rather than an ethically questionable, inter-species transfer.
It remains to be seen what will happen in regards to the Actovegin product and the Manly football club, but no rules have been broken - so perhaps we should just let it go. Until such actions are deemed illegal, Manly will continue to foster a team of thorough-bred champions, with Dessie Hasler staking his claim as the Bart Cummings of the NRL.
SportingMind can't help but wonder if the players themselves have the option of refusing this treatment or if these questionable methods are imposed upon them without consent. It seems that footballers have access to the latest and most innovative advances in medical science, leaving the 'average Joe' to content themselves with a pack of over-the-counter Nurofen, or perhaps a tube of Denco-rub at best.
Footballers/athletes are little more than medical experiments - guinea pigs for modern science. Much like in Nazi Germany, where Nazi scientists conducted "psuedo-scientific" human experimentations on prisoners, football clubs are given the licence to conduct innovative experiments on footballers - all in the name of quick recovery, or some sort of slim on-field advantage.
Whilst it is tempting to vent about how said scientists should be putting their tertiary degrees to better use - rather than attempting to get Luke Williamson back from injury within 2 weeks instead of a full month (which is a matter of great significance, lets not underestimate that), nonetheless SportingMind does secretly enjoy these stories that circulate from time to time. Scientists are working around the clock to give athletes the most minute of advantages. We've seen it with the full-body swim wear that Thorpie wore in 2000, and Cathy Freeman won gold in a similar suit in the same Olympics. Recently Nick Malceski from the Swans underwent radical treatment overseas to fix a season ending knee injury, which was very successful.
The most laughable legal medicine which is said to have a positive effect on athletes is of course Viagra. Who knows how great a player Brazilian soccer player Pele might have been if he was taking Viagra whilst he was playing, instead of spruiking the product as a 62 year old man? If Viagra is seen to help assist footy players in getting more blood to their muscles, therefore giving them better energy and improving performance, then SportingMind can predict that Viagra sales will go up by the millions. Old, overweight men will no longer feel embarassed about going to their local G.P. for a prescription, instead claiming they need the product for their "Over 45 Soccer Team" in order to get the best out of themselves on the field.
This new Actovegin revelation could catch on, with more clubs in the NRL likely to follow Manly's lead. SportingMind insists however that no calf extract be used for NZ Warrior Brent Tate, as Tate already appears to have a bovine genetic make-up as it is. To add calf extract to Tate would be just be a standard blood donation, rather than an ethically questionable, inter-species transfer.
It remains to be seen what will happen in regards to the Actovegin product and the Manly football club, but no rules have been broken - so perhaps we should just let it go. Until such actions are deemed illegal, Manly will continue to foster a team of thorough-bred champions, with Dessie Hasler staking his claim as the Bart Cummings of the NRL.
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