Michael Phelps has reiterated his support for tougher sanctions for doping – including a lifetime ban for anyone who tests positive for a banned substance
He’s a genetic advantage, oh no. He was born tall and broad shoulders with a swimmer’s body. That’s obviously cheating. On a related note LeBron James shouldn’t be allowed to play basketball either. Usain Bolt’s legs were too long he was genetically cheating. Only short fat out of shape people should be allowed to compete.
One of the problems with any competitive sport is the fixation on top performance, rather than the appeal of the sport itself. People dope to win, because winning is more important than simply playing well. People dope because they can’t afford to compete without being a top performer, and so we create a monetary incentive to cheat.
Only short fat out of shape people should be allowed to compete.
“Don’t bother even trying, you’re the wrong shape” is a very common and deeply disheartening trend in a whole host of sporting events.
Brother we’re talking about the Olympics. Top performance is the point. The best athletes in the whole world competing at the top of their Sports. Nobody here is under any illusions about why people cheat we all get it. That doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.
I’m not saying he’s cheating or shouldn’t have been allowed to compete.
That’s what he’s saying about trans women in spite of he himself having much bigger advantages than any trans woman ever did.
BTW, the rest of your strawman argument aside, Bolt actually has a very atypical build for a sprinter. Most of the best sprinters ever have been of slightly below average height and compact of build.
A former trainer of his put it thusly: “he’s built less like a human sprinter and more like a thoroughbred racing horse” 😄
Oh he’s the only tall broad shoulder swimmer body man who competes in the olympics? I wasn’t aware. I guess all the people I saw this last week who had the exact same body type as him we’re mirages. What absolute nonsense your argument is.
Oh he’s the only tall broad shoulder swimmer body man who competes in the olympics
Obviously not. He has several genetic advantages that other top swimmers don’t, as detailed in the article you clearly didn’t read.
Here’s a short summary:
He stands tall at 6’4″, which is the ideal height for swimming. The average height of an Olympic finalist in 2016 was 6’2″
His arm span is 6’7″, 3 inches more than his height. Generally, a person’s arm span is equal to their height, but Phelps is not an ordinary person. This anomalous characteristic gives him an absurd amount of pulling power in the water. Basically, his arms work as powerful propulsive (boat) paddles in a more efficient way than his competitors.
His upper body is that of a 6 ‘8 “man. With each stroke, he can have amazing reach, pulling him through the water ahead of the competition.
his lower body is only 5 ’10 “long, which is beneficial as it reduces drag against water.
Phelps has huge palms that support his paddling ability, essentially acting as flippers
he also has abnormally large feet with extremely flexible ankles, basically functioning like the tail fin of a shark
Phelps’s body produces half as much lactic acid as his rivals, significantly shortening his recovery time and allowing him to endure longer swims without slowing down.
He’s a genetic advantage, oh no. He was born tall and broad shoulders with a swimmer’s body. That’s obviously cheating. On a related note LeBron James shouldn’t be allowed to play basketball either. Usain Bolt’s legs were too long he was genetically cheating. Only short fat out of shape people should be allowed to compete.
Actually I’d probably watch that.
One of the problems with any competitive sport is the fixation on top performance, rather than the appeal of the sport itself. People dope to win, because winning is more important than simply playing well. People dope because they can’t afford to compete without being a top performer, and so we create a monetary incentive to cheat.
“Don’t bother even trying, you’re the wrong shape” is a very common and deeply disheartening trend in a whole host of sporting events.
Brother we’re talking about the Olympics. Top performance is the point. The best athletes in the whole world competing at the top of their Sports. Nobody here is under any illusions about why people cheat we all get it. That doesn’t mean it’s acceptable.
The point is to bring together an international community of athletes in a peaceful cultural exchange.
Handing out medals for ballroom dancing and table tennis is just an excuse to get everyone in the same room together.
The enormous monetary incentives around medaling corrupt the spirit of an egalitarian international event.
I’m not saying he’s cheating or shouldn’t have been allowed to compete.
That’s what he’s saying about trans women in spite of he himself having much bigger advantages than any trans woman ever did.
BTW, the rest of your strawman argument aside, Bolt actually has a very atypical build for a sprinter. Most of the best sprinters ever have been of slightly below average height and compact of build.
A former trainer of his put it thusly: “he’s built less like a human sprinter and more like a thoroughbred racing horse” 😄
Oh he’s the only tall broad shoulder swimmer body man who competes in the olympics? I wasn’t aware. I guess all the people I saw this last week who had the exact same body type as him we’re mirages. What absolute nonsense your argument is.
Obviously not. He has several genetic advantages that other top swimmers don’t, as detailed in the article you clearly didn’t read.
Here’s a short summary:
He stands tall at 6’4″, which is the ideal height for swimming. The average height of an Olympic finalist in 2016 was 6’2″
His arm span is 6’7″, 3 inches more than his height. Generally, a person’s arm span is equal to their height, but Phelps is not an ordinary person. This anomalous characteristic gives him an absurd amount of pulling power in the water. Basically, his arms work as powerful propulsive (boat) paddles in a more efficient way than his competitors.
His upper body is that of a 6 ‘8 “man. With each stroke, he can have amazing reach, pulling him through the water ahead of the competition.
his lower body is only 5 ’10 “long, which is beneficial as it reduces drag against water.
Phelps has huge palms that support his paddling ability, essentially acting as flippers
he also has abnormally large feet with extremely flexible ankles, basically functioning like the tail fin of a shark
Phelps’s body produces half as much lactic acid as his rivals, significantly shortening his recovery time and allowing him to endure longer swims without slowing down.
Source: Science ABC