Sports drug testing going too far?

Queensland Rugby League have announced that they will test both at Professional AND AMATEUR games for ANY drugs be it Performance or Recreational. They have also announced they will even do a drug test at games at Youth level (14 years old) as well as all the way up to open age.They have said with amateurs they will look to help them off drugs if found guilty as well as any NRL or Queensland Cup Player will face atleast a 2 year ban.

Is drug testing amateurs going too far?

Personally think its good as drugs is a problem in society rather than just certain sports. Also likely people on any drugs probably know little about the damage or seriousness on drugs and by testing them and if found guilty they can be offered help to kick the habit. I also think testing 14 year olds is good as hopefully makes them more aware of the dangers of drugs and that its not accepted in Sports

Agreed; there needs to be a shake-up of the whole system; it would appear that these days the taking of performance-enhancing drugs is seen as normal, without any thought being given to what may happen in later life. Rememer Florence Griffith-Joyner?

And those that administer drugs to under-age kids should be put away for a long time; there was I believe a recent case her of some "trainer" giving kids drungs and he got off if memory serves with a joke sentence. Scandalous.

Heh you mean they are checking for recreational drugs as well as performance enhancing drugs? Even school and uni age amatuer players? Haha what a way to drive practically all of them away from the sport! Fuck having your sports club narc you in for having the odd e or spliff for a joke, and knowing young aussies would affect a pretty solid proportion of them.

What a dickhead you are. Have you ever had a friend die of a drug overdose? Well I have and am all for "educating" people on drugs at any age. My mates family were distraught and still even 8 years since it is a painful experience for them.
It Might put a few off but hopefully will also be a learning experience for some people and MAY save them the dangers of drifting into drugs and then having to pay for the habit-by what ever means.It may start of with cigs then a spliff then it can lead to somethingelse. I welcome any iniative that helps people understand the issues on drugs whether that be recreational or performance enhancing. Its not just stopping cheats at the top level but also trying to help them and their family get the right help and that goes right down the scale to amateurs!

Sure but it was on purpose, nothing to do with accidentally doing too many drugs for fun, he knew what he was doing. And I am all for education too, people should know what they are putting into their bodys (and typically drug users know FAR more about it than the anti-all-drugs paranoia camp) but think about who this is going to affect? Not your average heavy heroin user about to die, they would have given up sports long ago, this is going to affect your average young aussie school or uni kid, who loves his weed on the weekend and maybe the odd line or pill as much as his sport. And no, these guys are no where near as likely to end up in the heroin overdoser category, or any category of dangerous use really, as you and most of the paranoid overreactors that dont know anything about drugs think.

If most people are forced to choose between their sport and a normal young persons going out lifestyle enjoying the odd doob or pill every now and then, then they would have to be damn serious about league to make that sacrifice, most of them will probably switch to a sport that isnt so irrationaly invasive in their private lives.

But regardless of how I think on the matter, one things pretty clear, this will severly reduce involvement in the sport amongst the young.

He started off on splifs and before long got in with the wrong crowd and doing heavier stuff. He was just joining in so to speak and his so called friends left him in a room when they couldnt wake him up in the morning after a session on some harder drugs. The town I was brought up in kids as young as 10 start doing "Deliverys" for gangs-usually at first soft drugs and them being offered a free try and then end up going down a long path. And a number play Sports. Gangs use under 16s to make deliverys as cant be prosecuted and often arent stopped by Police in comparison to adults up to recently

A number of car accidents are down to people being on drugs-usually soft drugs but not being fully awake/alert to make the actions required to avoid the accident. Many people take soft drugs but does it make it OK? Where do you draw the limit?