[turingbombe]

Quickly browsing, methylphenidate is a key component of Ritalin. Are athletes unable to take medication such as Ritalin if they need it for a legitimate medical issue?

I can see this kind of thing being abused with the "right" doctor etc, but as far as the rules go, is this illegal?

[eps]

Wasn't there a case when German (?) female athletes were using hormonal boost of the first few weeks of pregnancy as a loophole to dope themselves?

The strive and pressure to win at Olympics make people do absolutely crazy shit, so it's reasonable to assume guilty until proven innocent when a blacklisted chemical is detected in a sample.

[icelancer]

Soviet bloc athletes, yes, complete with abortions.

[Udik]

Does the use of methylphenidate help otherwise unfocused and easily discouraged people to put more effort and concentration in their training?

Because if this is the case, I don't see how this could be allowed- after all the rhetoric around sports is about the reward of effort and focus on the long term goal. But if this focus is gained through the use of a drug, then, uhm...

[alexeldeib]

Athletes are people too. If you would normally treat an issue with medication if the individual were not an athlete, why should they be barred from competing if a doctor deems using the medication appropriate? Rather than thinking of it as an unfair advantage, I would say it removes an obstacle which is disadvantageous for the person relative to their competitors (that is, it levels the playing field, in an ideal world).

[alexeldeib]

If you are prescribed the medication, you get a TUE (Therapeutic Use Exemption) and can compete using the medication.

[Torai]

> Are athletes unable to take medication such as Ritalin if they need it for a legitimate medical issue?

So you believe this top, elite athlete who excels at focusing has ADHD or narcolepsy? Are you willing to go that far before admitting they may have cheated on that, and use psychostimulants, steroids and amphetamines for unethical competitive advantage?

[jacalata]

It's actually really easy to believe that an elite athlete could be successful at following a highly scheduled, monitored training program with coaches and meal plans and parental support while struggling with the executive function necessary to e.g. successfully complete college classes. Are you familiar with ADHD? Heres some stories of athletes who have it: http://m.additudemag.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.additudemag.c...