Another weightlifter, James MacDonald, was found last year at a house in Inverness, Scotland - aged just 17 years. While all three of these cases are alleged to be the result of performance drugs, it is clear that the motive was for the men to exercise hard out to obtain the ultimate in personal performance, no matter what the cost.
On a lesser level, I see people out cycling and running, sun, rain, hail or snow, with sweat streaming from their bodies.
Oh - if I only had the energy to engage so enthusiastically in such activities, but then again, with my less strenuous exercise regime, I know my life will be just as long and my knee joints will thank me for it. We all know that to enjoy good health and longevity, regular exercise is essential. It's just a matter of keeping everything in perspective.
And another thing regarding keeping things in perspective, how much should one get stung for not wearing a helmet while riding a quad bike? To me, a fine of a few hundred bucks would make most of us wear one.
But thousands of dollars? That's absurd. Indeed, three Marlborough farmers have successfully appealed the extent of their exorbitant fines for not wearing safety helmets while riding quad bikes.
Two were initially fined $20,000 each for not wearing helmets, and a third farmer who was found guilty last year of the same offence was fined $15,000.
The fines were later ruled as excessive and as a result, reduced by a few thousand dollars.
As usual, there are two sides to the story.
Delving deeper, we hear that the first two had ignored verbal and written warnings by Worksafe NZ inspectors several times after being seen riding repeatedly without helmets on their farm. The riders were also seen by inspectors with children riding alongside them on the quad bikes without helmets.
The third farmer was sentenced this month on two similar charges.
To be caught and warned repeatedly about the not wearing of helmets is stupid behaviour on behalf of the riders, but I can understand how inconvenient it must be for them considering the type of work that they do. But rules are rules and that's it. However, it is bizarre that such humungous fines can be imposed, while in cruel contrast, the not wearing of a seatbelt costs only $150, which is 100th of the amount. And you've just got to look at the TV3 show, Road Cops, where drivers are seen to be stung a mere few hundred dollars and a handful of demerit points for owning dangerously defective unregistered vehicles, no drivers licences and an appalling attitude.
Things are way out of proportion here.
-Brian Holden has lived in Rotorua for most of his life and has been writing his weekly column for 11 years.
