An ESPN article regarding Federer and Djokovic using these supplements relates that they may be banned soon. First off, the article looks like an ad so I wonder. Am I just passing and posting an ad. If so, be warned that I did this to ask some questions. Agassi proved one can play tennis even while zonked on chemicals that have no benefit to performance, at least according to his book. If anything, he reduced his performance by his actions.
If so, at least it does supply some information that if true may help some people and players that may not be facing testing to get their weight under control and improve performance.
As for the professionals, I can only say that if the substance in these supplements proves to have no negative effects but helps performance I wonder how far down the road we have to go in banning things.
For instance, when I need to focus on writing or getting something done that requires intense concentration it helps to have a cup of coffee nearby. By some of these rules writers may be eventually castigated for resorting to such chemical stimulations to keep things moving. And where would the actor be without the belt they used to take before taking stage, not that they do that anymore since they take pills for that now I suppose.
Pilots used to take stimulants in the military though I don't know the rules on that now. I have to guess that under battle conditions worrying about anything but full concentration and staying awake takes precedence over long term or even short term health. They never worried much about the people in the service for the long term, so if they do now, well it is probably based on a cost analysis of VA benefits paid out.
So if it turns out that eating Brussels sprouts grown in Belgium with special soil from Europe gives you an edge will they move against that too. Where this will all end who knows, but I have to say that for Roger in particular I believe that he wouldn't do anything that had negative health effects just to keep earning. There, my bias for him is exposed but he seems so squeaky clean that I find it hard to imagine that he would do anything outside of the boundaries of what is considered the rules.
As for Novak, I know he tweaked his diet but I can''t see him in that light either. He is almost scientific in his approach to health and performance so I have to imagine he wouldn't take health risks either.
I'll be interested in seeing the finding on this. Dieters are the most likely regular users of this rather than athletes. It seems unlikely that it could be worse than over the counter diet pills. As for muscle mass and endurance, unless it is about making huge amounts of money in professional play why bother.
In the end isn't that what this is all about. The rule makers will decide, but weren't they the same ones that prevented Laver and Kramer and a host of others from playing in the majors for some arbitrary idea that amateurs were a better breed than professionals who dared play for money.
Thankfully that is long gone.
