Lionel Messi Is a __________ Fill in Derogatory Word of Choice

Yahoo Sports - The world’s greatest soccer player started using human growth hormone at the age of just 9 years old and continued to use it systematically for more than four years.

And it was perfectly legal.

The use of HGH in a normal bodied human being acts as an anabolic steroid, but for Lionel Messi, it merely enabled to him to overcome a condition known as growth hormone deficiency and reach his natural height. The spectacularly skilled Argentinean is no giant, standing just 5-foot-6, even in his cleats. Without treatment, though, doctors believe he would have reached only 4-7 as an adult.

“Nothing allows us to overcome genetics,” Dr. Diego Schwarsztein, the endocrinologist who first treated Messi as a 9-year-old, said in a recent interview with journalist Luca Caioli. “But if difficulties arise we can help it along. Those who genuinely have growth hormone deficiency have it for life. That is why it is necessary to intervene.”

The intervention took the form of injections every night, Messi grimacing in pain as the needles were jabbed into his skin by his father Jorge. Even then, the growth in his stature was slow.

It's funny how one day you can think the world of someone, and the next you find out that the only reason they're good at soccer is because they've been taking HGH since they were nine years old. Now, this article seems to portray Messi as a tough kid overcoming an obstacle and trumping adversity. Kind of ridiculous. Here's why. It's called natural selection. Survival of the fittest. Messi was supposed to be 4 foot 7 inches as an adult. But soccer clubs paid $150,000 a year so he could grow. Height means a lot. Height means longer legs, which translates to faster speed. How is this drug use any less criminal than a baseball player using steroids? Sure a baseball player using HGH can hit the ball harder but it doesn't help with hand-eye coordination as far as I know. In Messi's case speed is everything. His agility, speed, quickness - they are all a byproduct of HGH. Lionel Messi was bred to be a star soccer player. He wasn't meant to be one. Therefore I cannot appreciate his talents or efforts. Read that Yahoo article. This is no bash on Messi either. Let me be clear. He did what he was told to do. But it is unethical to allow a soccer player the chance to grow more and not a player of another sport. I'd like to hear some counter-arguments justifying Messi's talent despite his artificial body.