Transplant Games Provide Alternative Sports Heroes

After last week’s column on the seemingly rampant steroid abuse in the sports world I received two letters that, while unrelated, combined to form a rather thought-provoking answer to the question, “what makes a sports hero?”

The first letter was an announcement that the Transplant Games were set to begin this Saturday, July 28, in Minneapolis, Minn. I thought little of the announcement, having never heard of them before. But as I read on I became gripped by some of the stories. The first told of a 56-year-old woman named Esther Suss from D.C. who would be competing in the 5K race. The catch, of course, was that she would be competing in the event with a new lung after being diagnosed with end-state emphysema four years ago.

My interest now piqued with a parallel tale to a certain American cyclist’s inspirational recovery from cancer, I asked for more information on some of the athletes. I learned about Al Jones, a 36-year-old who received two new lungs in order to save him from the cystic fibrosis that prevented him from walking 20 feet without gasping for air and had claimed the lives of two of his five siblings before Mr. Jones turned 19. Now he too is participating in the Transplant games. As is John Sullivan, 58, a single, then double-lung and kidney transplant survivor, who at one point was told he might never walk again. Now Mr. Jones will be bowling at the Games, while Mr. Sullivan tees it up on the links.

I had found a new set of heroes.

Move over Barry Bonds and Marion Jones, here come Esther Suss, Al Jones and John Sullivan. It may be “only” golf or “just” bowling, but the idea of sport isn’t how rigorous the event is, but how hard you can push yourself. And considering what these three have gone through, just to participate in athletics of any kind at any level is an inspiring accomplishment. More on this and our newfound heroes in a second.

The second letter I received, this one from Jim Ferstle, served to soften my anger at any potential steroid use by Lance Armstrong, but further illuminated the conundrum of doping in the sports world.

Last column I wrote how those diagnosed with cancer and who looked to Armstrong as their ultimate hero would be robbed of the hope of recovery and ensuing excellence should it prove true that he used EPO or another doping agent. Ferstle, a freelance writer who has covered the issue of doping since 1987 for Runners World among other publications, informed me that this isn’t quite true.

“The hidden truth about drug use is that they can't turn a cancer survivor into Superman,” Ferstle wrote. “Yes, they make a significant difference in that one percent of the population with the genetic gifts to perform at a high level in world sport. [They] can be the difference between getting a medal or no medal at all, but they can't transform you or me into an Olympic champion. So, yes, believe in Lance. He is truly an outstanding athlete with all the admirable qualities we like to see in our sports champions — the hard work, the skill, the dedication.”

A later clarification by Ferstle absolutely nailed the reason why doping is such a danger to sports and why those participating in the Transplant Games are every inch the heroes that Armstrong or any other modern day athletic superstar are.

“If, in fact, Lance does use drugs it takes nothing away from his ability to come back from cancer and be an elite level athlete. If he does use drugs, would he have won six Tours? What could Ben Johnson have run without using drugs? Those are answers we'll never know because if an athlete does choose to give into the temptation, the athlete loses the ability to know if it was their own ability and hard work that got them to the top or was it the drugs? Athletics is really a process of self-discovery. How much can you accomplish?”

There you have it. How much can you accomplish? That’s the phrase that makes sports so special and separates heroes like Suss, Jones and Sullivan from the frauds who have used steroids or other performance enhancing drugs.

Returning to my earlier point, there’s nothing cheap about the achievement of Suss and the others. And just because they’re not chronicled with daily headlines that doesn’t make their achievements less noteworthy, even if those achievements may appear less sexy than repeating as Tour de France champ, or setting a world record, or winning a home run title.

Sports are not just for pro-athletes or Olympians. They are not legitimized by roaring stadiums or endorsement deals. We legitimize them. Sports are an individual challenge. As Ferstle says, they are a process of self-discovery.

We still run without a gold medal at the finish line. We still lob foul shots in the gym when no one’s around but the janitor. How good can we be? That’s what drives athletes.

This is why sport, in its truest form, will survive any steroid controversy. For all the dopers in the headlines these days, there are exponentially more clean athletes that simply don’t get the exposure. But that doesn’t make their achievements any less noteworthy.

Athletes like Suss, Jones and Sullivan have helped restore my faith in sports and in heroes. They have shown me that there will always be sports heroes. Sometimes they’re just not where you expect to find them.