beyond the question of Mr. Douglas' "guilt' or "innocence'', the episode does raise some questions about the role of drugs in sports and in life.

Bermudian Mr. Douglas, who opted to represent Holland in international athletics about two years ago, tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone and has been kicked off the Dutch national team as a result.

Mr. Douglas, along with other top athletes who have been accused of using the same drug, has protested his innocence and has stated that he has never used performance enhancing substances.

While it seems unlikely that the test itself is flawed, an International Amateur Athletics Federation official has suggested that the banned substance could have been contained in a food supplement and unwittingly consumed by Mr.

Douglas and others.

Mr. Douglas has said the use of drugs by veteran athletes who are still competing "for the fun of it'' makes no sense. The flip side is that athletes seeking one last piece of glory may be tempted to engage in performance enhancing drugs.

It is sad that the stakes in athletics and other sports are now so high that athletes will go to any lengths to beat their fellow competitors when the long term health risks of steroids far outweigh the short term benefits.

Even sadder are those recreational athletes who take drugs to improve their performance. There they are not seeking international fame, simply a slight edge over their fellow amateurs.

The fact that just nine of Bermuda's 35 amateur sports federations have signed on to a random drug testing agreement shows that athletes and administrators still place short term achievement above the far more creditable goal of drug free sports.

BETTER DRIVING EDT Better driving Bermuda's dubious record of ten road crashes in the space of five hours last Thursday shows that the Island still has a long way to go before we can say the madness on the roads has been reversed.

Before Bermuda looks at raising the speed limit -- which would only recognise a fact of driving today and would do nothing to reduce accidents -- all drivers should look to themselves; to slow down, take care and be more courteous to the rest of the Island's road users, including cyclists and pedestrians.