Do you think its possible the pain meds the doctors sometimes give to pro players mid match are actually opioid painkillers like tylenol with codeine?

[Djokovicfan]

When it comes to opioids america really has its head up its ass. In most european countries you can get weak painkillers like tylenol with codeine without a prescription from local pharmacies. Its reasonable to conclude that there were times many of these european future pros took tylenol with codeine to stop the pain so they could finish out a match. In america you cant get any weak opioids like tylenol with codeine without a prescription so american tennis youths probably had to suck it up. But back to the point of this thread: do you think pro players who havd a pain issue that could end the match can ask the match doctor for something with an weak opioid in it like tylenol with codeine? I feel that in a major grand slam match, the cost of having one of the players retire because of pain is huge, both financially and also for the sake of the competition. I dont know if the doctor is out there giving players vicodin but i wouldnt be too surprised if they were. But tylenol 2 or tylenol 3 (tylenol w/ codeine) i think would be plenty reasonable to give to pro tennis players in order to save a match from ending due to the player not being able to continue.

 

[Visionary]

I've also thought about those pills a few times during injury time. Opioids are truly concerning but big pharma's got a stronghold on FDA, European Commission, scientists and pretty much on all the research related to drugs. I don't suppose that antidoping agencies such as WADA would pick a fight with the king of the jungle.

 

[Arak]

I think painkillers are fair. They do give some advantage but if a player is in pain he’s already at a disadvantage. What I find more serious and subject to abuse are the anti inflammatory steroids. They are essentially banned but are frequently taken via TUE.

 

[D.Nalby12]

Very possible. I wouldn't get surprised they take shots in bathroom breaks as well. Stakes are so high that everything is possible.

 

[aldeayeah]

Codeine is a baby's opioid anyway.

There are a number of opioids in the WADA list (all listed as "substances of abuse", ie recreational drugs rather than performance enhancers), but codeine isn't one of them, so it's fair game.

 

[Visionary]

I wouldn't get surprised they take shots in bathroom breaks as well. Stakes are so high that everything is possible.

I guess antidoping testing ought to be present prior to and right after the matches.

 

[Arak]

I guess antidoping testing ought to be present prior to and right after the matches.

That’s how it should be done but is it?