Should Professional Card Players Be Punished for Using Drugs?

Should Professional Card Players Be Punished for Using Drugs?

Last year, Geir Helgemo, the world’s number one bridge player, was suspended for a year. Helgemo is positive for the detection of prohibited chemicals, which are often used in dynamic sports. But, the drugs are deemed not beneficial for performance in card games such as bridge.

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去年,世界排名第一的桥牌选手Geir Helgemo遭停赛一年。 Helgemo对于违禁化学物质的检测为阳性,此物质常被使用在动态运动,像是单车、举重与武术上。事实上,Helgemo与Lance Armstrong在环法自行车赛用来作弊的药物是相同的。

许多评论者认为Armstrong的案例是反对兴奋剂使用在运动上的优良例子;相较之下,Helgemo的案例则遭受了许多批评。批评者质疑为何桥牌必须适用禁药规范,Helgemo的桥牌队友Brogeland甚至表示没有人认为Helgemo使用兴奋剂是为了在桥牌比赛中获得优势。虽然兴奋剂可用来改善肌力,但并无法影响像是桥牌这种益智游戏的表现。因此,这项药物在桥牌的规范才会如此的具有争议性。

虽然桥牌是纸牌游戏,但国际奥林匹克委员会 (International Olympic Committee) 将桥牌视为一种运动,世界桥牌总会的人员甚至希望有一天可以在奥运看到桥牌比赛。因此,世界桥牌总会才会遵循国际奥林匹克委员会对于其他运动的禁药规范。

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去年,世界排名第一的橋牌選手Geir Helgemo遭停賽一年。Helgemo對於違禁化學物質的檢測為陽性,此物質常被使用在動態運動,像是單車、舉重與武術上。事實上,Helgemo與Lance Armstrong在環法自行車賽用來作弊的藥物是相同的。

許多評論者認為Armstrong的案例是反對興奮劑使用在運動上的優良例子;相較之下,Helgemo的案例則遭受了許多批評。批評者質疑為何橋牌必須適用禁藥規範,Helgemo的橋牌隊友Brogeland甚至表示沒有人認為Helgemo使用興奮劑是為了在橋牌比賽中獲得優勢。雖然興奮劑可用來改善肌力,但並無法影響像是橋牌這種益智遊戲的表現。因此,這項藥物在橋牌的規範才會如此的具有爭議性。

雖然橋牌是紙牌遊戲,但國際奧林匹克委員會 (International Olympic Committee) 將橋牌視為一種運動,世界橋牌總會的人員甚至希望有一天可以在奧運看到橋牌比賽。因此,世界橋牌總會才會遵循國際奧林匹克委員會對於其他運動的禁藥規範。

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English translation:

Last year, Geir Helgemo, the world’s number one bridge player, was suspended for a year. Helgemo is positive for the detection of prohibited chemicals, which are often used in dynamic sports such as cycling, weightlifting, and martial arts. In fact, Helgemo had used the same drug that Lance Armstrong used to cheat in the Tour de France.

Many critics saw Armstrong’s case as a good example of the fight against doping in sports. In contrast, Helgemo’s case has drawn criticism. Critics question why bridge has to apply rules against drugs. Brogeland, Helgemo’s bridge teammate, even said, “Nobody thinks he took doping to get an edge at bridge competition.” Since doping is used to improve physical fitness, and should not have affected the performance in playing brain games such as bridge. Therefore, the drug ban on bridge becomes controversial.

Even though bridge is a card game, the International Olympic Committee recognizes it as a sport. Officials from the World Bridge Federation even hope to see bridge played in the Olympics one day. As a result, they follow the Olympic Committee rules on banned drugs for other sports.


The photo is taken from here.  

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