Mass media and commercialization of sports have elevated professional athleticism to the fore, resulting in more sportspeople choosing professional sport as their primary career. With tenser competition in the field, doping in professional sports for an added advantage has become customary, especially with progressive evolution of the pharmaceuticals realm (Baron, Martin & Magd, 2007). According to Davidson (2011), doping is the consumption of illicit drugs or methods to elevate performance and results, based on the prohibited list by World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA. Since 1960, banning on doping has been enforced on the basis that it enhances performance, violates the spirit of sport and threatens health (Davidson 2011).
The rifeness of doping started to gain the world’s attention after Lance Amstrong, the seven-time champion of Tour De France was stripped of his title by the US Anti-Doping Agency for intake of illegal performance
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Murray (2004) asserts that doping devalues the whole notion of ‘fair play’, tilting the playing field in favor of athletes with higher quality of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs), hence considered as cheating. With legalization of doping, sport will merely showcase the marvels of modern pharmaceutical realm instead of fundamental human virtues and abilities (Savulescu 2014). Based on British Journal of Sports Medicine, illegal performance enhancing drugs such as steroid can harness muscular strength by 5 to 20% (Savulescu, Foddy & Clayton 2004) and in professional sport when victory can be decided by fractions of inches or seconds, these tiny advantage can place athletes competing clean, at threat of being defeated by competitors who are not stronger but dope for the insurmountable boost (Murray 2004). This undermines the value of authentic victory in sport and innate talents, for PEDs disguise natural capacity, a violation of sport
Steroid usage in sports has been a controversial issue since it began sometime around the 1940’s. The conflicting opinions of how steroids in sports should be managed has eventually created what can be accurately described as a whirlwind of confusion. In the two articles “Destroyed” by Peter F. Martin, and “The Designer Player” by Rodrigo Villagomez, the authors differ in their opinions about steroid usage in sports. While Martin believes that steroid users are ruining the game and their bodies, Villagomez thinks that living itself is harming our bodies and that steroid users are heroes for making the game more interesting. However, both authors are attempting to persuade their audiences into believing what they think.
The Notorious Olympian Marion Jones was a highly decorated American track and field athlete, known for her speed and success in sprinting and jumping events. However, her career took a sharp turn when she became embroiled in a doping scandal involving steroids. In his article, A Tarnished Marion Jones Couldn't Outrun (2007) Author Harvey Araton claims Marion Jones' doping scandal and subsequent downfall serve as a cautionary tale about the perils of cheating in sports. In view of the author's opinionative tone, this article is intended for those who are interested in sports, PEDs, and Olympic scandals, ranging from ages between 16 and 55; these are the people who perceive fairness within sports as a grave issue.
Most Athletes Do Drugs, But Who Really Cares Athletes using performance enhancing drugs have always been in the media. When a beloved athlete is caught using drugs the media tears them apart. Any one’s favorite athlete could become nothing to them after a drug test. The articles “Cheating and CHEATING” by Joe Posnasnski and “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals” by William Moller, show two sides of the effects of media as well as fame for athletes. As mentioned, “Cheating and CHEATING” by Posnanski gives its own side to the effects of media.
A step in this direction is the new drug testing program that was negotiated and approved by the owners and players for the 2005 season. It is far more comprehensive, intrusive, and punitive than the 2002 program that it replaced. Time will tell whether the new program will rid the sport of the blight which allows juiced-up players to achieve phony records that overshadow authentic accomplishments (Staudohar. 2005).” All players work hard everyday, but the ones who are taking steroids to get ahead faster are just cheating themselves. Although, there could be a brighter side to steroid use.
Dr. LIncoln Allison argues that in truth, steroids are not really “cheating”, they are just a way to bring out the full ability from a player. “A sportsman or woman who seeks an advantage from drugs just moves up to the level appropriate to his or her underlying ability”(107). She suggests that we deal with other, much greater problems, before worrying about teroid issue, ”In general, the risk to health from performance-enhancing drugs is considerably less than that from tobacco or alcohol, and we ought not to apply paternalistic moral assumptions to sport that we are not prepared to apply to the rest of
9.2 (2013): 135-59. Print. This article written by Jack Anderson a Professor of Law at Queen’s University, Belfast, concerns the legal issues that surround the prohibition of doping in sport. The current policy on the use of performance enhancing drugs in sport is underpinned by both a paternalistic desire to protect athletes' health and the long-term integrity
By allowing professional athletes to use drugs, what message are we sending out to young sports players and those who idolize their sporting heroes? Is the goal to inform them on how to cheat, or how to use your own muscle and blood to win? Performance-Enhancing drugs used by athletes can cause many health problems and create an unfair advantage to other athletes. Many of the performance enhancers used have serious health risk and allow the use of such substances could cause peer pressure to all athletes to consider using them. Athletes dreaming to improve their performance the easy way are often the first you see to start using substances; this places them at risk of the many consequences.
Background: Performance-enhancing drugs have been widely used in sports for centuries. The first recorded use of PEDS in sports was during the ancient Olympic games in 776 BC when athletes experimented with herbal medication 2. However, what qualifies as cheating to us was perfectly acceptable to them and the athletes that participated weren’t
In conclusion, Performance Enhancing Drugs should not be tolerated in any sport, whether professional or amatuer. These drugs are highly dangerous and even lethal to all athletes who use them. It is also unfair to athletes who choose not to use these drugs, as they are performing on their hard work and talent and not relying on an “edge” to help them reach their goals. These drugs are highly addictive, just like any other street drug or alcohol and can be fatal in many cases.
Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) have been used in sports for many years. The common term for it is doping. It is one of the most important issues among professional athletes today. Doping should not be allowed in professional sports. The use of performance-enhancing drugs creates a disadvantage for the athletes that don't use PEDs since they will not perform as well as the athletes that used the drugs during the game or competition.
Athletes use of performance enhancing drugs has become all too common in today’s society. With many athletes testing positive for doping, sports are becoming tarnished with athletes trying to gain an unfair advantage on their competitors. Although players are tested often for such drugs, there are still many loopholes and some drugs are not detected by current systems. So what would cause an athlete to put their body at risk to gain just a slight edge on their competitor? Sports should be a test of real skill, not artificial skills given by doctors.
The use of steroids affects the integrity of sports; sports are not about simply winning. The purity and innocence of sports have diminished since the use of steroids. “Sport, after all, isn’t just entertainment” (Martin 581). The Olympians took their competitions seriously. They showed their abilities in their competitions.
Though many people would refer and notice this as failure, anti- doping has not accepted its defeat, but somewhat substantiates its existence and purpose by broadening its net. The success of anti-doping policies is nearly impossible to measure. Despite this, the international community remains signing up to support and implement the code that WADA has established. The testing system could possibly be considered widespread, efficient and thorough but the figure of positive tests does not signify the broader usage of doping drugs in the world of sports.
Russia and Doping at the Olympics Doping has been a big issue in many sporting events. There are many athletes that get away with it and there are many who don’t. The Olympics is one of many examples where doping is a big issue. These athletes risk their careers when they use performance enhancing drugs.
AS91101 - 2.4 Writing Portfolio Piece Two - Cooper Title: Drugs in sports Drugs have become an integral part of any modern day sporting event. Drugs give an unfair advantage to the user and the competitors that are using enhancements are not using their own full abilities to win the Olympic medal or championship. This makes it unfair to other competitors that are not using a drug or other enhancements to compete. Athletes like Lance Armstrong and Nadzeya Ostapchuk not only give sportsmen and women a bad reputation but influence the way the public think about sports and run the risk of addiction and long-term health issues.