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Shelley Osterloh ReportingThe US Anti-Doping Agency has teamed up with some Olympic Athletes to encourage kids to play fair and avoid drugs.
The new public service campaign celebrates Fair Play; that means competing without the use of performance enhancing drugs, like steroids. It’s a message aimed a young kids and teens who may feel the pressure to do better at sports.
A handful of top Olympic athletes were selected for the campaign --- people like Apolo Ohno. There is also a Spanish version from sled Hockey Goalie Manny Guerra and long track speed skater Jennifer Rodriguez.
We recently visited Rodriguez and her husband, fellow skater KC Bouttie at their Park City home. Rodriquez says performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, only hurt you.
Jennifer Rodriguez, Olympic Speedskater: "You hear all these stories now in high school and jr. highs even about all the drugs going on in there. And it’s really sad to think that they think they need those things to compete at a high level. Really they just need to work a little harder."
She hopes kids will learn that using drugs is cheating.
Jennifer Rodriguez: "And I feel like coming from an Olympic athlete, yea, we are at the top of our game and we are doing it clean. And I think that’s an important message to portray to kids, that like you don't have to be like the big bruisers, just be your self, work hard and you'll be fine."
You may see some of these spots on TV, in movie theaters, on posters or magazine ads. All are aimed at promoting, fair play, respect and integrity in sport.
USADA also plans to focus on other messages such as trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, and caring.
