Before and after last night’s deciding Game 7 in the 2019 World Series, the New York Post reported online about the physical condition of the injured ace pitcher for the Washington Nationals:
“HOUSTON — Three days after not being able to raise his right arm due to a nerve issue in his neck, Max Scherzer will start for the Nationals on Wednesday night in Game 7.
‘I feel good, the cortisone shot worked,’ Scherzer said after the victory.
He received the injection Sunday when he was scratched for Game 5.”
Imagine that a story in a major newspaper read as follows after the 2020 Kentucky Derby:
“LOUISVILLE — Three days after not being able to raise his right front leg due to a nerve issue, (the name of the winning colt) will start in Saturday’s Kentucky Derby.
‘The colt showed no lameness,’ his trainer said after the victory, ‘the cortisone shot worked.’
He received the injection Wednesday night.”
According to WebMD, “Cortisone is a type of steroid, a drug that lowers inflammation, which is something that can lead to less pain.”
The game-winnng Scherzer cortisone-injection story was reported matter-of-factly in a plethora of newspapers and there were no allegations about abusing athletes. Had Scherzer been an equine athlete, who won the Kentucky Derby or Breeders’ Cup Classic, a firestorm of criticism and outrage would surely have ensued.
Copyright © 2019 Horse Racing Business
A good analogy with one glaring difference. Max Scherzer had the right to reject any shots, or treatment, the horse never had a say.
J. Hard missed the point. Racing has cleaner medication rules than baseball. No equine sport allows the drugs permitted by major human sports.