Messi, growth hormone administration, and potential effect on his current skills

And yes, being too short for a human being is an approved indication for HGH administration, as long as GH deficiency is the cause of short stature

These are two different indications for HGH administration: 1/ GH deficiency. 2/ Being too short for a human being (with no demonstration of GH deficiency). The first indication, I agree it has been established from the time HGH was marketed for patients, it makes total sense. But, for the second one, I think it is a newer indication, which did not apply yet when Messi received his HGH, more than a decade ago.

That is why a non-hypothetical, proven, diagnosis of what his problem was when he received HGH is so important. And the fact is there is not a definite and final demonstration/diagnosis of the objective reason for him to have HGH administered. It is still an open question.

To end up here my intervention (thanks to all for your feedbacks), I think it is a very appealing area for journalistic research for its many and different implications all over sports, not only soccer or, more specifically, Messi. It is conceptually different to do a medical intervention to correct for a deficit or damage (i.e., HGH deficiency), than to do it to enhance a person's specific nature (genetic small height, with no proven HGH deficiency). And with all the medical advances and incredible potential for modern Medicine, this latter possibility is currently a reality, not only by administration of classical doping drugs, but also by surgery, genetic Medicine, sophisticated slow-acting stimulating substances, or so. For example, to me, breathing in low-oxygen "hypoxic" chambers in order to produce more hemoglobin is a doping system, like administering erythropoietin, but it is also approved by some regulatory agencies. (The soccer player Raúl González used them)

A serious debate is needed on this topic.

/r/soccer Thread Parent