[Olympic Preview] Steroid controversy is hurting fans’ interest in track

The Olympic Games are the premiere sporting events in the world,
determining every four years who the greatest athlete is in his or
her sport ““ period. They create national heroes and
international villains and provide an intoxicating blend of sports
and politics.

Soon enough, Athens, Greece, will become the center of basically
all sports-related talk. And rightfully so. It’s like this
during every Olympics.

Except “¦ all the talk this year is about steroids.

Who’s excited about this year’s games? Who are we
pumped up to see? Michael Phelps, the swimmer, is about the biggest
name I can think of and basically the only one getting any
publicity right now.

Does anyone care about USA Basketball anymore (especially given
that we can be sure that at least three members of the team ““
Allen Iverson, Amare Stoudamire and Lebron James ““
don’t)?

Isn’t everyone just a little bit worried something truly,
horribly awful might happen in terms of a terrorist attack?

But by far the question being asked loud and often: Can we trust
any of these athletes?

Rumors of steroid abuse has scandalized numerous athletes,
mostly in the track and field department. The discovery of the
BALCO designer steroid THG has called into question the
accomplishments of some of the brightest Olympic stars.

Marion Jones, easily one of the most popular track athletes in
the 2000 Games and basically the face of women’s track and
field, was basically thrown under a bus by her ex-husband, CJ
Hunter. Hunter, you may recall, was accused of using steroids
himself during the Sydney Games.

Jones stood by her man back then, but he apparently isn’t
doing her any favors. He said he personally injected her with
steroids and watched her do it.

Jones, amid the fallout of that bombshell, failed to qualify in
the 100 meters, her best event. Surprise. She did, though, win the
long jump, so she can book a ticket to Greece “¦ and she will,
no doubt, be followed by scads of reporters asking her about
steroids each and every day.

Jones isn’t the only one. Tim Montgomery, world record
holder in the 100m (and, coincidentally, Jones’ boyfriend)
denies having used anything “illegal” but has
reportedly admitted to a grand jury that he used steroids. He, too,
failed to qualify in his event, blaming his poor performance on the
constant speculation by the media about his alleged steroid
abuse.

Regina Jacobs tested positive for THG at last summer’s USA
Outdoor Track and Field Championships and has subsequently retired
from competition.

The list goes on and on.

Steroids have become the focus point, the key media issue. And
reporters are going to hammer athletes, coaches and organizers on
it every day.

On TV we’ll probably get the same bland, safe coverage we
always do. (I wonder if it will be tape delayed by 12 hours
again.)

But rest assured that every single athlete knows he or she will
be under more intense scrutiny than ever. The pressure cooker that
is Olympic competition, though, means surely some athletes will
still juice themselves up with even newer concoctions that will be
harder to trace. If ever someone was going to risk a career for
fame and glory, now is the time.

Thirty years ago, the steroid debate was centered on those East
German women hurling javelins across the Atlantic. Today, the issue
is much more mainstream as athletes around the world are heavily
scrutinized.

I can’t really blame the media for latching onto this.
It’s a big story and something that must be told. But,
unfortunately, aside from calling into question the legitimacy of
athletes, steroids have dealt another, more potentially harmful
blow to the games: People are tuning out.

If the public at large thinks the Games are tainted, it’s
not going to watch, and that fact is making dwindle the already
mediocre support that exists for the Olympics right now.

Still, by the time things finally get under way, my guess is
that people will all be rallied around their televisions to root
for their country, no matter how obscure the athlete and sport.
Especially given the way America is perceived around the world, it
would be such good fun to see the Red, White and Blue stick it to
everyone by winning gold medal after gold medal.

E-mail Yuhl at [email protected].