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Illegal Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in the Olympics Essay

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Illegal Use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in the Olympics

Since the original Olympic Games in ancient Greece, athletes have struggled to find a way to gain the competitive edge. Early rituals included consuming wine and brandy before an event, eating potent mushrooms, and even concocting magic potions thought to give the athlete improved performance ability (Phillips, 2000, p.53). A constant battle has been fought as the International Olympic Committee struggles to keep drug testing up-to-date and effective. We have come to associate drug use with a few famous names of fallen heroes, such as Ben Johnson and the most recent, C.J. Hunter, but few people realize just how widespread drug use is in Olympic sports and how small a …show more content…

Swimmers and athletes of track and field are inherently more reliant on their physique than any ball-player" (Economist, 1998, p.10). The athletes of track and field are competing as individuals, compared to an entire team. Their flaws and faults are more obvious and prevalent than if they were part of a team and had other athletes around them to help them. Yes, track and field can be considered a team-oriented sport, since everyone is part of a team. But the competition itself is based upon the individual, and that is why many athletes feel the pressure to use any method possible to help them gain a competitive edge. But my thought is that no matter what the competition is, or whom you are competing against, there is no need to use chemicals to increase your athletic performance. I also feel as though many of the athletes in track and field use performance- enhancing drugs because they feel pressured into it.

There is an ever-increasing amount of athletes in track and field who use performance-enhancing drugs, so many athletes feel compelled to taking them. They probably feel as though if they are working and training as hard as they can, and there are other athletes out there who are also working just as intensely, plus taking chemicals to give them added strength and endurance, then those athletes will have the competitive edge. It reminds me of Darwin’s theory of survival of the fittest. Those who are the most fit, or in other words, those who are stronger,

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