This is exactly what Paul Cullen was on about on Boots N All - the myth that growth hormone can't be detected. All of you who have RL background, current or past, will more than likely of heard of this drug. Many players believe that it is un-detectable, although this belief stems from the amateur scene. There's no smoke without fire though and I suspect maybe a few more SL players will be counting thier lucky stars it wasn't them.

No he should have been and was banned to the extent of the law, I honestly dont think anyone believes hock took it as a steriod!

Anyone taking steriods by any mean intentional or not is responsible for what passes through their body, I said kc should have never played again, i said hudson should never have played again and i say newton should never be allowed to play again.

However hocks is and was a completley different thing so he should be allowed back after his ban, as a driver would after being caught drink driving.

ps also if the player in question was wearing cherry and white i would still say they should never play again.

Aside from the fact that using cocaine is actually illegal, so he broke the law, like I said earlier, there is a metabolite in cocaine which is [iperformance enhancing[/i. Whether it is a steroid or not is irrelevant, since steroids are only one form of performance enhancing drug. There are many different forms of performance enhancing drug and all of them are on the banned list, in addition to other drugs which create risk to the players themselves and to other players (and that includes alcohol).

You seriously think people take cocaine to enhance performance??

cocaine used to be taken regularly as a performance enhancer...especially in cycling, and the Tour de France.

It is possibly not the best way to enhance performance, and im sure players dont take it to enhance performance, but there is no doubt that it gives a "boost" to the body (why else would they do it???).

WADA classify cocaine as performance enhancing in-competition.

just a shame that he had to get caught before he "owned up".

shame it takes saints speccies to talk sense on this board, and you can quote me on that cos this hock things has been ridiculous all along.

wiganers want to argue semantics when effectively we are standing by a drugs cheat! you cannot get away from that fact, especially if hock is in any way shape or form still receiving cash from the club. and if he's not can i be the first to ask where his salary has gone? deacon must be on one hell of a wage!

Hock is getting nothing from the club.
Some of the younger players contracts have been increased.

Didn't IL state at the fans forum that money was still there if the right player became available.

Hock has made a mistake and is paying for it. IF he stays clean then there should be no reason why he can't play again.

Hock did a interview for one of the sunday papers. He said he knows he's made a huge mistake. He said he took coke because he was with the wrong crowd.

He took it to get high, not play better.

I have no doubt hock will be back when his bans up. That is how it should be, he got caught, served the time.

I for one would have no problem taking hock to saints when his bans up. As long sa he proves he's clean he should be able to get on with playing rugby.

Absolutley.

I agree with Brian Carney, and have said all along that imo a recreational drug, where there is no advantage to performance gained, is not as bad as deliberately cheating and taking peformance enhancing drugs.



Hock made a mistake. It is costing him financially, and it will take a massive effort for him to make a comeback.

If he can do this, then, imo the slate is wiped clean and no more should be said about the matter.

he still played at least 1 game whilst having cocaine in his system. cocaine is a stimulant, and therefore has performance enhacning benefits - therefore he played at least 1 game with a performance enhancing drug in his body.

whatever his motive for taking the stuff - and i dont doubt it was for recreational purposes - he still got the benefit of the banned stimulant whilst he was playing.

Hardly.

So is coffee.

Caffeine is also a banned stimulant above certain concentration levels.


reading around the subject of cocaine and HGH abuse by athletes - one of the side effects in uncontrollable aggression, which pretty much sums up both of Hock and Newton's careers.