All sides of the steroids in sports controversy had their say in this article on SFGate.com. There were a number of people wanting legalized steroids used under medical supervision:

Sonbaty and others interviewed on the jammed expo floor this weekend said it's a losing battle for the government or organized sports to try to ban illegal substances. Rather, they suggested, the way forward is to allow the legal usage of such substances under a doctor's care.

Fighting to keep drugs out of sports, he said, is "like trying to put a speed limit on Formula One racing.'' It won't work.

Others don't see the need:

Women's pro heavyweight bodybuilding competitor Lisa Aukland of Bel Air, Md., a perky blonde with stunning musculature who holds a doctorate in pharmacology, said she's among those who refuse to take part in the "win-at- all-costs" drug mantra. As she joined a parade of toned females backstage applying gleaming body oils in the "pump room'' before taking the stage for the women's competition, Aukland insisted that those with a passion for the sport must get their hard bodies the hard way -- by careful diet and grueling exercise.

The drugs "can change your look'' and come at a high price, said Aukland, shaking her head sadly. "That makes me smart enough to stay away from all of it.''

Even Arnold has changed his mind about steroids:

Schwarzenegger, who first gained fame more than 30 years ago as a bodybuilder, admits he used steroids to build muscle. Back then, it was legal, if done under a doctor's direction. And while the governor has said he doesn't regret using drugs during a competitive career that ended in 1980, he said athletes and young people today should stay away from now-illegal substances. At the same time, he admits that several of the men who compete in his annual show use steroids and other illegal substances to build their massive physiques.

In an interview Saturday, Schwarzenegger took a much harder line than the fans and competitors that swarmed him at the annual festival he has sponsored since 1989.

"The problem is we want to get rid of the drugs," he said, rejecting the idea of deregulating steroids.

Schwarzenegger also said he'd like to see more stringent drug testing of bodybuilding competitors.

One of the arguments form steroids in body building is that fans want to see big muscles. They want to see power lifter approaching half a ton. I wonder if this is a chicken and egg problem, however. If body builders reach the limits of natural human growth, will the fans go away? Or do the fans want to see bigger muscles because that's what steroids keep giving them?

I'm in the medical supervision camp, simply because there's too much money out there for these drugs to go away. I'd rather have these players take the drugs safely than suffer for a season like Jason Giambi.

Thanks to Brian MacMillan for the link.

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