--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My guess is many top athletes, distance…" description: "\"My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.\" — Bill Rodgers" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png" --- # My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included… ![“My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.” quote by Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png) > “My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.” [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker suggests widespread doping among elite athletes, arguing that its prevalence makes anti‑doping measures essential. **In simple terms:** Doping is pervasive in elite sport. Key Takeaway Address doping to preserve fair competition. Themes ethics sports integrity health policy culture performance Mood critical concerned analytical Type statement observation When to use this quote - elite competition - training camps - anti‑doping agencies - media coverage - public health debates Key Concepts fairness risk regulation trust Practical Applications - policy reform - educational programs Questions to Reflect On - How does doping affect the public’s trust in sport? - What alternatives exist to deter performance‑enhancing drug use? A Different Perspective Some argue that doping is limited to a minority and that strict testing alone can deter it. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Athlete](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) [Athletes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athletes/) [Distance runner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/distance-runner/) [Drug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/drug/) [Performance enhancing drugs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performance-enhancing-drugs/) [Performances](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances/) [Problem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/problem/) [Runners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/runners/) [Sports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sports/) ## Related quotes > [Nobody has ever said anything about Marion Jones every using performance-enhancing drugs and they never will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/nobody-has-ever-said-anything-about-marion-jones-every-using/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [Lance Armstrong admitted he used performance-enhancing drugs throughout his career. He confessed in front of the most respected judge in the land, Oprah Winfrey.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-ferguson/lance-armstrong-admitted-he-used-performance-enhancing-drugs/) [Craig Ferguson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-ferguson/) > [I have never had a single positive doping test, and I do not take performance-enhancing drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lance-armstrong/i-have-never-had-a-single-positive-doping-test-and-i-do-not-take/) [Lance Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lance-armstrong/) > [If at first you don't succeed, there's always performance enhancing drugs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spencer-pratt/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-there-s-always-performance-enhancing/) [Spencer Pratt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spencer-pratt/) > [I'm on performance enhancing drugs, so I may cause drowsiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-london/i-m-on-performance-enhancing-drugs-so-i-may-cause-drowsiness/) [Jay London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-london/) > [I am against performance-enhancing drugs. I have never taken them and I never will take them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/i-am-against-performance-enhancing-drugs-i-have-never-taken-them-and/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) > [If you're taking performance-enhancing drugs and you get caught, in my mind, you should be banned for life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bisping/if-you-re-taking-performance-enhancing-drugs-and-you-get-caught-in-my/) [Michael Bisping](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bisping/) > [I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs whether banned or unbanned, on or off the list, at any time. In fact, I underwent hundreds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-roche/i-have-never-taken-performance-enhancing-drugs-whether-banned-or/) Stephen Roche > [I've never used performance-enhancing drugs of any kind, and I never will. I've never met or spoken with Tony Bosch or used any substances…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gio-gonzalez/i-ve-never-used-performance-enhancing-drugs-of-any-kind-and-i-never/) [Gio Gonzalez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gio-gonzalez/) > [Performance enhancing drugs are banned in the Olympics. OK, we can swing with that. But performance 'debilitating' drugs should not be banned. Smoke a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eddie-izzard/performance-enhancing-drugs-are-banned-in-the-olympics-ok-we-can/) [Eddie Izzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eddie-izzard/) > [Performance-enhancing drugs are an illusion. I wish I had never gotten involved with steroids. It was wrong. It was stupid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-mcgwire/performance-enhancing-drugs-are-an-illusion-i-wish-i-had-never-gotten/) [Mark McGwire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-mcgwire/) > [I have never taken performance-enhancing drugs in my life and I never will. Over the course of my career I have taken hundreds of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-farah/i-have-never-taken-performance-enhancing-drugs-in-my-life-and-i-never/) Mohamed Farah > [We have a problem with drugs? Let's declare war on drugs! We have a problem with crime? Let's declare war on crime! We have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-mcwilliams/we-have-a-problem-with-drugs-let-s-declare-war-on-drugs-we-have-a/) [Peter McWilliams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-mcwilliams/) > [I don't think drugs are a problem; I think they're a symptom. As long as Americans are empty, spiritually, emotionally, morally empty, they will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-carlin/i-don-t-think-drugs-are-a-problem-i-think-they-re-a-symptom-as-long/) [George Carlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-carlin/) > [And as far as I'm concerned, it's like I say, drugs are not the problem. Other stuff is the problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-garcia/and-as-far-as-i-m-concerned-it-s-like-i-say-drugs-are-not-the-problem/) [Jerry Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-garcia/) ## More by Bill Rodgers > [Anybody can be a runner. We were meant to move. We were meant to run. It's the easiest sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/anybody-can-be-a-runner-we-were-meant-to-move-we-were-meant-to-run-it/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [The marathon can humble you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/the-marathon-can-humble-you/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [Having your goal to focus on is key, but don't let it become more important than your excellence next year and the year after.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/having-your-goal-to-focus-on-is-key-but-don-t-let-it-become-more/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [Being a runner means you are now 'free' to win and lose and live life to its fullest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/being-a-runner-means-you-are-now-free-to-win-and-lose-and-live-life/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [No one who works a forty hour week will ever beat me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/no-one-who-works-a-forty-hour-week-will-ever-beat-me/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [I also feel it usually takes four or five races to hit your best marathon for your body to be accustomed to the training…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/i-also-feel-it-usually-takes-four-or-five-races-to-hit-your-best/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [Don't feel guilty about driving somewhere nice to run. 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And runners really get to do that, I think-after we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/runners-you-re-competitive-but-you-want-to-have-fun-too-you-want-to/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [I like rain, actually.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/i-like-rain-actually/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [Always take the long term view and train and race smart, with a bit of caution.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/always-take-the-long-term-view-and-train-and-race-smart-with-a-bit-of/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [My whole feeling in terms of racing is that you have to be very bold. You sometimes have to be aggressive and gamble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-whole-feeling-in-terms-of-racing-is-that-you-have-to-be-very-bold/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [Being a lifelong runner, knowing what running gives me, a variety of factors - that is what motivates me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/being-a-lifelong-runner-knowing-what-running-gives-me-a-variety-of/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) > [I believe in gradual experimentation with running shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/i-believe-in-gradual-experimentation-with-running-shoes/) [Bill Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) [Explore all 40 Bill Rodgers quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/) ## More Athlete quotes > [As a professional athlete and someone who has spent almost his entire life in boxing, not a day goes by when I don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-de-la-hoya/as-a-professional-athlete-and-someone-who-has-spent-almost-his-entire/) [Oscar De La Hoya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-de-la-hoya/) > [I'd noticed him watching me for a year or so, especially when we'd play games where there was running or jumping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/i-d-noticed-him-watching-me-for-a-year-or-so-especially-when-we-d/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [I have no physical genius about me. 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And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [I think life is full of challenges and problems. I don't believe that anyone is perfect. We all make mistakes. It's not a bed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-mansell/i-think-life-is-full-of-challenges-and-problems-i-don-t-believe-that/) [Nigel Mansell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-mansell/) > [I'd never been much of an athlete, due to a physical condition I'd had since birth (unathleticism). Perhaps if there were a sport centered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/i-d-never-been-much-of-an-athlete-due-to-a-physical-condition-i-d-had/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [I didn't set out to be the first openly gay athlete playing in a major American team sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-collins/i-didn-t-set-out-to-be-the-first-openly-gay-athlete-playing-in-a/) [Jason Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-collins/) > [I like to push characters to extremes so they have to make really tough decisions and there is no life more extreme than that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cleave/i-like-to-push-characters-to-extremes-so-they-have-to-make-really/) [Chris Cleave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cleave/) > [I don't want to say names, but there are certain companies I won't work with because of previous people they've worked with. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-morgan/i-don-t-want-to-say-names-but-there-are-certain-companies-i-won-t/) [Alex Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-morgan/) > [We are like highly trained athletes, who never run a race.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-samuelson/we-are-like-highly-trained-athletes-who-never-run-a-race/) [Paul Samuelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-samuelson/) > [There are only two options regarding commitment; you’re either in or you’re out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-riley/there-are-only-two-options-regarding-commitment-you-re-either-in-or/) [Pat Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-riley/) > [I didn't aspire to be a good sport; 'champion' was good enough for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-perry/i-didn-t-aspire-to-be-a-good-sport-champion-was-good-enough-for-me/) [Fred Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-perry/) > [Treat yourself like an overweight, out of shape person and that's what you will be. Why not train and treat yourself like an athlete?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chalene-johnson/treat-yourself-like-an-overweight-out-of-shape-person-and-that-s-what/) [Chalene Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chalene-johnson/) [Browse all 2,455 Athlete quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/athlete/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that the problem must be tackled.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Bill Rodgers" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Athlete" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/03a/bill-rodgers-16199_athlete_my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-r_37569.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“My guess is many top athletes, distance runners included, use performance-enhancing drugs, enough so that…” — Bill Rodgers", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Bill Rodgers", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-rodgers/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "My guess is many top athletes,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-rodgers/my-guess-is-many-top-athletes-distance-runners-included-use/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```