Steroid Testing Comes To Gay Games

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The 2010 Cologne Gay Games VIII will be testing for anabolic steroids and other performance enhancing drugs in all sporting events for the first time in Gay Games history.  The Cologne Gay Games plans to base it’s testing on the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).  This expanded testing to all sports follows the 2006 Chicago Gay Games that just tested athletes in bodybuilding, power lifting and wrestling.

With this more stringent drug test policy comes issues with those athletes who are HIV+ who take supplements and steroids as part of a treatment program. The 2006 Chicago Gay Games allowed those who were on various treatment programs to participate in power lifting as “Guest Lifters”. This classification allowed “Guest Lifters” to compete in power lifting in order for them to achieve personal bests but were not awarded any medals.

The 2010 Cologne Gay Games hope to redefine the WADA standards to allow for those athletes who have medical concerns. The Bay Area Reporter reports that, “FGG (Federation of Gay Games) and Games Cologne representatives are formulating a policy that would create a medical commission of experts in the fields of sports medicine, drug testing, and medical care, who would oversee an essentially two-tiered approach in which competitors could apply for a streamlined waiver for medications critical to their well-being.

Hopefully once the Federation of Gay Games comes out with it’s testing standards it will allow the games to be inclusive of all athletes even those who suffer from HIV and are on supplements.

FGG 

2010 Gay Games

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Comments

[Kelly Stevens]

Hello,

You can be assured that anyone with HIV and taking steroids for medical reasons will be welcome to participate in any sport. Any athletes that are taking any WADA restricted medicine will be allowed if they are for many medical reasons, including HIV and other diseases. All medical records will be confidential.

This is still the Gay Games, and not the Olympic Games. Participation, Inclusion and Personal Best are our motto. For over 25 years, Gay Games has been celebrating human rights through sports and culture. Cologne is the most gay friendly city in Europe. You will enjoy Gay Games in 2010.

Kelly Stevens

[Tyler]

I would have thought they did this already. I mean it's only right to even the playing field for all athletes. Good for them. Are the OutGames going to follow suit?