Marcus Thigpen cheated.
So did Bruce Campbell. They got caught using steroids by the CFL drug-tester and have been assessed two-game suspensions. The team they were playing for when they got caught, the Saskatchewan Roughriders, said it’s disappointed in its players.
Thigpen and Campbell had been away from football before joining the Roughriders last season. Both players stepped quickly into starting roles, an impressive feat that is now more easily explained.
Steroids can make athletes faster and stronger. Steroids are called performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), so the CFL has established a testing policy and punishments for anyone caught using PEDs.
The CFL doesn’t test for recreational drugs like cocaine or marijuana. Riders’ receiver Duron Carter has been charged twice with marijuana possession, which is illegal, so he’s proceeding through the courts.
Using steroids isn’t against the law, but because they give athletes an unfair advantage over their opponents, it’s more despicable.