Banned substances, steroids, and drugs, these are some of the words that make so many people uncomfortable to talk about, particularly athletes. And that is because these are things that destroy not only careers but also the reputations of many sports stars.
In Guns and Needles, veteran and highly respected sports journalist Clinton Van Der Berg tackles the uncomfortable subject matter of steroids and drugs that has come to characterize South African sports culture. Clinton successfully does this by speaking to those that have been found to have taken banned substances, the dealers, and those who are tasked to catch these cheaters.
I need to be honest that upon receiving my copy and just looking at the cover, I thought the book is mainly about doping and the use of steroids in rugby and athletics. Unfair or not, but when you mention doping and steroids in South African sport, one can say the words(doping and steroids) have been closely tied with the two sporting codes in the country. However, the scribe shows that the use of steroids and drugs is prevalent in all the sporting codes.
Perusing through the pages of this book, you can’t help as a reader but see how steroids and drugs have destroyed the livelihoods and dreams of many individuals in South Africa.
What Clinton does in this book is that he forces everyone: parents, drug and steroids suppliers, athletes themselves, future athletes, authorities and bodies tasked with eradicating these substances to have a conversation about how to rid the South African sports culture of steroids and drugs that has reduced us into cheaters rather than winners that we are.
Guns and Needles is not a book to name and shame those that have been found to be cheaters in our sporting codes, but a book that creates an environment where we can learn lessons from those that have paid a price for their recklessness and naivety.
Clinton should be congratulated for the great work of creating a space where everyone can reckon with the fact that steroids and drugs destroy career and reputation.
I think the only bummer for me was how the scribe in some of his personal analysis was harsh to some athletes while on the other hand seemed to be a bit kinder and understanding to some others who had committed the same sins. I think a guy like Chilliboy Ralepele will be more crossed by some of the scribe’s analysis over his own doping saga than say Liza De Villiers would.
Besides that, this is a very important and educational book.
I strongly encourage aspiring athletes and their parents to take a leaf from some of the stories inside the pages of this book.