Against Steroids in Sports Essay

The competitive drive to win at all cost is fierce among athletes. Winning at all cost often includes using one of many performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Many athletes use performance enhancing drugs, like steroids, to achieve higher goals and set higher records than other drug-free successful athletes. Although athletes are performing at higher levels when using such drugs, what is the cost? Finally anabolic steroids should remain banned from sports because their use results in many harmful side effects; because their use violates sports regulations, and because their use can cause death.

Athletes are always searching for ways to enhance their performance. Recently, beginning in the 1950s, that search has included the use of illegal substances like steroids and growth hormones. Illegal substances have been used widely by athletes in hop es of achieving the desired Olympic gold medal or multi-million dollar contract. Some nations, for example the late East Germany in the 1970s and 1980s, have mandated the use of steroids by their athletes. The downside of using those illegal substances is that because they are illegal, getting caught using them can lead to losing that coveted gold medal, a lifetime ban from sports, and a total loss of honor and dignity. This is why the search is now on to find some legal

Steroids have taken over the game of baseball and more players are starting to get involved with them. Steroids are a big part of the Major League today in 2014, yet they entered the game of baseball through trainer Curtis Wenzlaff in 1992. Players and the game’s images are ravaged when they become caught up in steroids. Some of the best players to ever play the game of baseball have been caught up in steroids, including Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, and Mark McGwire. Players with this level of skill are supposed to be role models for younger kids, yet younger kids see that they used steroids and are tempted to use them. When their young, impressionable minds witness steroids use, naturally kids attempt to imitate their idols. More

The issue that our group is tackling is the use of illegal performance enhancing steroids in Major League Baseball. Major League Baseball is big business in the U.S., with 30 franchises valued at over 8.8 billion dollars. Player salaries range from the league minimum salary of three hundred twenty five thousand per year to ten million or more per year, and are based on the market value of each player when his current contract expires. It is in this hyper-competitive environment that a growing specter of foul play has erupted – the use of steroids. Anabolic steroids and other similar performance enhancing substances allow muscles to recover at a much faster rate than normal. This

“Why it’s time to legalize steroids in professional sports” written by Chris Smith of Forbes Magazine argues that to level the playing field of professional sports it would be beneficial to legalize the use of performance enhancing drugs. Mr. Smith’s ideals that professional sports would be a fairer, more entertaining version of itself if performance enhancing drugs were legal, is an incredibly irresponsible and impudent declaration.

The desire to compete — and win — is as old as history itself. From the beginnings of sport, athletes have sought out foods and potions to turn their bodies into winning machines. As early as 776 BCE, the very first Olympic games, there are records of attempts to increase testosterone levels (“Steroid Abuse in Sports”). Ancient Greek wrestlers ate vast amounts of meat to gain muscle mass, and Norse “Berserker” warriors took hallucinogenic mushrooms before battle. The first competitive athletes to be charged for doping, however, were swimmers in 1860s Amsterdam. Doping of all kinds, from caffeine to cocaine to anabolics quickly spread to other sports (“Anabolic Steroids, a Brief History”).

When you were a kid, didn’t you want to play a professional sport? What would you give to be one of the best athletes in the world? Would you risk your reputation? Your health? Would you be willing to die? Although many studies have come out saying that steroids diminish one’s health, people still take them hoping to be the best. Imagine if you were a 28 year old who left college early because a pro team “guaranteed” you that you would play in the big leagues. Yet you just got stuck in the minors, and the only way you could get to the big’s was to take a pill that made you super-strong and super-fast. It would make sense to just take it. But what if that pill shrunk your testicles, hurt your heart and vascular system, and made

In all areas of sports, professional, college, and even high school, there is widespread illegal use of performance-enhancing drugs. It seems like you can’t go more than a week without hearing about somebody’s PED problems. Although there are many reasons for athletes to choose to use these drugs, the cost of such use, both to the athlete and to society can be extraordinarily high. The question that many people must answer to themselves is “is it worth the risk”. Therefore, it is important to understand why performance-enhancing drugs are used, the consequences of their use, and then apply that knowledge to how they are represented in the media.

Anabolic Steroids are commonly viewed as a miracle drug in order to increase muscle growth and definition, but what most users of the drug don’t know are the life altering effects that prolonged use can cause. When the drug was released in the late 50’s by scientists working for the Soviet Union, they had no idea what the lasting effects were going to be. At first the drug seemed to be almost a miracle, it helped the Soviet weightlifting team beat the American team by a long shot, but then the lifters began to experience certain bodily changes that were actually the onsets of horrendous life changing side effects that could have been prevented with further studies. Since that time, most states in North America and around have banned the distribution and use of the drug completely due to its adverse effects on the body, if caught using such drugs in professional sporting communities, it could land the athlete thousands of dollars’ worth of fines and they can even face up to five years in jail if they are found with the drug in their possession. On top of this, the risks involved can potentially alter the normal way of life for that athlete for the rest of his life, such risks include hormonal changes, cardiovascular problems, behavioral issues, and even problems with the reproductive system.

Anabolic steroid abuse has become a huge concern among high school athletes. There has been a dramatic increase in the number of athletes using performance enhancing drugs in high school, almost double the number since the 1980's. Student athletes feel that steroids give them a competitive edge that they think they need to boost themselves past competition. Athletes, whether they are young or old, professional or amateur, are always looking to gain an advantage over their opponents to come away with the biggest win, our society views winning as something more important than the game itself. Success in competition brings status, popularity and fame, not to mention college scholarships. Today's athletes are looking for an advantage over the competition that will make them winners. Unfortunately, today student athletes are getting caught up in this competition frenzy and because of this, teenage use of performance enhancing drugs is growing to be very popular. At all levels of play, from peewee wrestling to professional football. Successful athletes rely on skill, practice, and hard work to increase their speed, power, and ability. Today, high school and even middle school students are using steroids illegally. The United Institute of Health reported that 2.9% of twelve graders in high school have used anabolic steroids. These drugs may also have been called: roids, juice, gym candy, pumpers, stackers, balls or bulls, arnies, or anabolics. High School students of our

In the world of sports today, anabolic/androgenic steroid use is a vast problem. Since its’ introduction into Russian weightlifting, it has been expanding with no signs of stopping. It has spread into every major sport, with usage by every age and race. The use continues to grow, even with a lengthy list of serious health, legal, and ethical concerns. Because of our society's adoration of muscle, athletes put their athletic goals higher on their priority list than their long-term health. From Hulk Hogan to Arnold Schwarzenegger, our heroes all fit the superhuman mold. The government has tried various laws and programs to cut down on usage, but these

Many patients suffering from muscle-wasting disease, AIDS, and hormone deficiencies benefit from using anabolic steroids. Corticosteroids relieve pain for many patients with arthritis and chronic skins disorders. Medical studies suggest that the risk factors associated with therapeutic steroid application are controversial and require more study. (Quezziare & Sprague, 2015)” Athletes must understand that whether the steroids are use therapeutically or illegally, health risk do exist. “Despite well documented evidence that steroid abuse is dangerous, athletes are willing to risk their bodies, and perhaps their lives, for a competitive edge.” One may argue that athletes do not care what they risk as long as they are the best athlete. “Younger athletes are now testing for steroids and haven taken them to promote growth and enhance performance. (Quezziare & Sprague, 2015)” One may argue that young athletes are using steroids is because they are looking at the older athletes as their role models and they feel the need to do the same as them. “Sports organizations have developed sophisticated drug-testing techniques to catch cheaters, but just as the testing becomes more sophisticated, so do the drugs they test for (Quezziare & Sprague, 2015).” Some may state that they do not know why athletes feel the need to use steroids and why do they think that steroids are the answers in making them the best. Wanting to be the best comes with hard work and dedication and “it seems likely that anabolic that steroid use will remain a controversy throughout the twenty-first century.” The examples that have been used are pure stated facts, as to why steroids can lead to short-term success, lead to ill health, and

(The use of performance-enhancing drugs is becoming relatively mainstream. Approximately 3 million people in the United States have used anabolic steroids (Silver 2001), with usage rates as high as 12% among young men and 2% among young women (Bahrke, Yesalis & Brower 1998). Not only are newscasts filled with reports of steroid use by both Olympic and professional athletes, but studies indicate that even teen athletes are using these performance enhancing

Growing up we all had our dreams of winning the gold medal in an Olympic event, scoring that game winning basket, being a prize fighter, or hitting the homerun with bases loaded in a World Series. We imagined the feeling of success and glory but we also realized that few do accomplish such. Seeing such deeds are what creates our desires, determination and goals. The athletes that achieve such give us our heroes to aspire to attain such levels. We want the future generation of athletes to have these same dreams, goals and hopes of success that we grew up with. But are our current athletes the type of heroes we want our children and young athletes to look up to? Performance Enhancing Drugs are becoming the norm for many of our athletic heroes and modern day headlines are expounding on the wide spread usage among our elite athletes. Some authors such as Michael Lavin in “Sports and Drugs: Are the Current Bans Justified?” states that the expectations and demands placed upon today’s athletes are much greater than in the past and this pressure leads to using enhancements. Professional athletes are now paid large salaries so that more expectations are made of their abilities than may be achievable with natural workouts and practice of the past. There is pressure to stay in the game

Gym Candy, ‘roids, juice, pumpers, weight trainers, clear, beans and hype (Steroids and their). All of these words are slang for the illegal substance known more commonly as anabolic steroids and HGH, or human growth hormone. The controversy surrounding anabolic steroids and HGH in sports has stormed to the forefront of the many problems that plague America today. Anabolic steroids are synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. According to Fox News, ¬¬¬5% of middle school and high school aged- children have or currently use anabolic steroids. 30 to 40% of college and professional athletes use steroids, as well as 10-20% of high school athletes (Ricki Lewis). Despite their illegality, law enforcement officials cannot devote more resources to policing steroid use and trafficking because they are still fighting the abuse of other illegal drugs that affect many more young people (McCloskey and Bailes). Many athletes looking to gain a competitive edge on all levels use anabolic steroids because of their muscle growth and muscle building benefits, but overlook the extensive list of sometimes life-threatening side effects that steroids may bring. I believe that steroids should be banned from all athletic agencies, schools, organizations, et cetera because it leads to a larger ethical problem in today’s already fading system of values and morals in America, the side effects of anabolic steroids