Thursday, May 30, 2002
Former user, now doctor gives steroid warning
By John Erardi jerardi@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Performance-enhancing drugs are rampant in sports wherever they are legal or can be masked. Anybody who says they aren't has his head in the sand, said Dr. Angelo J. Colosimo, director of the Division of Sports Medicine at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center.
He knows. He took steroids when he played football at Colgate University, from which he graduated in 1980 and where he was a two-time Academic All-American running back. He said the steroids he took made him a better running back in his senior year, in particular.
“It's nothing to brag about,” Colosimo said. “My senior year, we opened at Penn State and we couldn't believe how big their guys were. They weren't secretive about it. They were taking steroids. And 50 to 60 percent of the guys on our team were taking them to keep up.”
He said the root cause for the use of performance-enhancing drugs can be traced to society in general. Kids are pushed by their parents to be bigger, stronger and tougher so as to excel in athletics, Colosimo said. It's not a big jump for that same kid to begin taking a supplement or a steroid to help him make a team or win a starting position. Or make an all-star team. Or get a college scholarship. Or get drafted.
Colosimo, who is in his 12th year as orthopedic surgeon for the UC athletic teams, does not hide the fact that he took steroids, because he believes that only by everybody telling the truth can the issue of performance-enhancing drug use be met head-on.
The whole problem began many years ago when coaches and officials in sports programs told the athletes that steroids didn't work. The kids who were using them knew immediately they were being lied to, Colosimo said.
“In no way do I condone (the use of performance-enhancing drugs), and I don't advocate their use,” Colosimo said. “Number one, they can kill you. They have a whole bunch of different side effects, including (liver disease). And they are banned by the NCAA, the Olympics (and all the pro sports except baseball). If you get caught, you are throwing everything into jeopardy. But don't say it (drug use) isn't out there.”
Longtime high school baseball coaches Dan Bowling (Hamilton) and Mike Cameron (Moeller) both said they are concerned by the potential impact that “major-leaguers on steroids” can have at the high school level, where there is always a monkey-see, monkey-do effect. But neither coach said he suspects any of his players of using the juice. The same goes for UC baseball coach Brian Cleary doesn't suspect any of his players of using the juice, but that doesn't mean he isn't concerned.
“I tell (my players) all the time, "I'd hate to see somebody come back here for an alumni game at age 40 with a serious condition or illness or side effects from using (steroids or supplements),'” Cleary said. “It just isn't worth it.”
Reds Stories
Golf Course Spotlight: North Trace
Golf tip from Bruce Fleisher
Open dreams begin, end at River's Bend
Pairings for U.S. Open Qualifier
Nets 103, Celtics 92
Slow start costly for Celtics
Kings know final victory will be most difficult
Shaq, Lakers reeling
Red Wings 2, Avalanche 0
Hurricane season hits its peak
World Cup a local frenzy
U.S. underdog in World Cup opener
Ball juiced for World Cup
World Cup players to watch
World Cup TV schedule
Coming up this week
Skatepark Schedule
Hamilton ends Lebanon's perfect season
Turpin's surprise run ends
Ohio Regional Softball Schedule
Ohio Regional Track Highlights
Ohio Regional Track Results
Ohio Regional Track Schedule
Ohio Regional Baseball Schedule
Ohio State Tennis Pairings
Boone's Lawrence pitches 4th perfect game
Hops bounce Highlands' way
• Return to Reds front page...
Former user, now doctor gives steroid warning
