Steroids In Sports Research Paper

“Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Jose Canseco, Alex Rodriguez, all of these baseball players have admitted to the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs)” (“Performance Enhancing Drugs”). “Mark McGwire broke Roger Maris’s 37 year old record of 61 home runs. McGwire hit a total of 70 home runs in 1998. Sammy Sosa also broke Maris’s record with 66 homeruns.” In “2001 Barry Bonds broke Mark McGwire’s home run record by hitting 73”. “In 2009 Sosa, Bonds, and McGwire all admitted to using PEDs during their careers” (“Sports Tarninshed”). Many professional baseball players have admitted to the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs through out their career. Performance Enhancing Drugs have given these players an unfair advantage

PED Use in Baseball PED use in baseball has been a big issue for baseball for a long time. It's been there biggest issue since the mid to late 80s unit now. It's still a very pressing issue for the League, and with a new commissioner a lot of fans, analyses, and people involved with the industry hope that tougher PED policies, and more and better testing will be put in place. Most fans feel that PED use taints records, that anybody that has records, whether it be league records or club records, they feel that they didn’t accomplish this himself and without the PEDs they wouldn't have accomplished what they did. One of the biggest examples and of this is Barry Bonds, although he was never found guilty of using PEDs, and which he still denies using them to this day, there was high suspicion that he was on them.

When the controversial topic regarding performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) is brought up, perhaps the most infamous case that comes to mind is that of the Barry Bonds doping scandal. For those who are unaware, heavy-hitter and San Francisco Giant left fielder Barry Bonds was indicted in 2007 for lying under oath about his use of steroids during his time playing Major League Baseball (MLB). Bonds is not alone, however, as the world of Major League Baseball has been laden with PED scandals for quite some time. A plethora of MLB athletes have been severely punished and scrutinized for partaking in the use of illegal performance-enhancing substances, but do they deserve the hate? If something can make an athlete perform better and make thus make

Steroids not only affect the body but also the mind too. It is proven that when an athlete takes steroids they tend to be more of an aggressive person in society’s eyes. The advantage of having an aggressive behavior is that the abuser is more focused and trains more intensely. The bad part about taking steroids is that the person becomes easily irritated and impatient. Even after an athlete stops using steroids they seem to develop depression because they experience withdraw symptoms. It is against federal law to use steroids without a prescription. Professional athletes usually do not think about how much trouble steroids can give them. In 1990, President George W. Bush signed a bill to put steroids in the category of methamphetamines, opium and morphine. If someone would get caught using steroids they could be punished up to one year in prison, a twenty thousand dollar fine, and a year of drug classes (New Law…).

Steroids have a long-term, negative effect on the human body. These effects range from cardiovascular problems to mental and psychological issues such as rage and anger problems. Steroid use has been linked to increased alcohol consumption, marijuana use, cigarette smoking, and narcotic use (Buckman, Farris & Yusko, 2013). Many athletes may not be aware of the lasting effects steroids can have because all they are worried about is their performance, not their health.

Many children all across the United States and other countries try to replicate their favorite superstar athlete. Many athletes become the children’s idol and once the child learns that the athlete has cheated the game the athlete plays the child no longer looks up to the athlete. It is almost gotten to the point where no athlete that excels in a particular sport can be trusted. Every time a single athlete becomes great at their respective sport, speculation of steroid abuse immediately follows.

Over the years, this has been forgotten as people focus only on winning. From 1968 on, hundreds of Olympic athletes have been caught doping. PED’s are considered cheating in today’s sports. Although every athlete is determined to win, PED’s have no place in sports. When athletes resort to using these drugs, the endanger their health and their safety. An example of this is the death of Danish cyclist Knud Enemark Jensen who died in the Olympics from the use of amphetamines which caused him to lose consciousness and fall from his bicycle to his death. Another consequence of PED use is setting a bad example and being a bad role model. In 2007 many fans were let down when Barry Bonds tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Many fans, both young and old, looked up to Barry and were disappointed with his choices. With so many baseball players using performance-enhancing drugs today, the integrity of the game has been lost. The players who use PED’s negatively affect the players who play the game without cheating. One of the worst consequences of all for using PED’s is being suspended or banned. Since the 1960’s, the technology for PED testing has improved and more athletes have been caught, suspended or

“…medical researchers believe that between 1 and 3 million youths and adults have taken anabolic steroids in one form or another specifically to enhance their looks or athletic performances,” stated Nuwer (Nuwer, 61). As astounding as these figures are, the number of performance drug users is steadily increasing. With this progressively increasing numbers, it is projected that millions more will use steroids in the immediate future (Newer, 61). Athletes have always sought an advantage in competition even if ignoring the law and their health if necessary. Using drugs of any sort to facilitate an athlete’s athletic ability should be illegal. The use of performance enhancing drugs is not only detrimental to the user but it also creates an

The most commonly discussed issue in sports of the 21st century is the use of performance enhancing drugs by professional athletes. Over the past four years, it has been nearly impossible to turn on the television without hearing something about athletes and these drugs. From former National League MVP Third Baseman Ken Caminiti's admission of steroid use in an issue of Sports Illustrated (Verducci, 2004) to 2006 Tour de France Champion Floyd Landis being stripped of title due to a failed doping test (Blue, 2006) virtually every sport is involved. Are performance enhancing drugs a substance that threatens the very existence of professional sports, or are they the future? Perhaps the issue

In the article, “Performance Enhancing Drugs, Paternalism, Meritocracy, and Harm to Sports” by Nicholas Dixon, argues that PED 's should remain banned due to the many different medical risks one could develop when taking drugs mostly, anabolic steroids. Anabolic steroids might be the most popular performance-enhancing drugs out there today, but most definitely isn 't the only one being used. There are many medical problems associated with these types of steroids, “they include heart disease, cancer, or other damage to the liver, and damage to both males ' and females ' reproductive system” (Dixon, 247). Anabolic steroids affect an athlete both mentally and physically. The psychological damage one may have is an increased aggressiveness and sexual appetite, sometimes resulting in abnormal

Abstract:  With the increase of competition has also come the need to become bigger and stronger than the opponent.  The use of steroids among athletes has caused the focus of the game to change.  No longer does an athlete want to win by doing their best, but they want to become bigger and have an advantage over the opponent.  Ultimately, all athletes feel that they need to use performance-enhancing drugs to compete at the same level. Despite all of the warnings and information on performance-enhancing drugs, athletes continue to use them and overlook the potential health risks associated with steroids.

People want more interesting sports. "In America's major league sports, particularly football and baseball, the widespread perception of drug use does not seem to have had a negative impact on audience interest. The fascination of watching Mark McGwire break the home-run record in 1998 was undiminished by his overt use of nandrolone (not a banned substance in baseball), which stimulates the body to produce more of its own steroids.( Pro Con, Lincoln Allison) The only way to get more home runs and ninety-nine yard kick returns is for players to use performance and enhancing drugs. According to Restricting players from using PED’s is a waste of time. Players can beat the drug testing. "According to the IOC [International Olympic Committee] director general... the fact that only eight athletes out of 11,000 Olympic competitors tested positive is proof that 'the war on doping is being won.' But the argument that the small number of athletes testing positive is indicative of the low prevalence of doping is nonsense. Firstly, drug-using athletes often beat tests because they have access to specialized medical advice from sports physicians... Secondly, there is evidence of collusion between dope-using athletes and senior officials. Positive tests have been 'lost' at several Olympics." (Pro Con, Ivan Waddington) We need to have PED’s legal so we have more exciting

My first problem about PEDs and doping is that it has many side effects like enlarged organs or cancer.taking peds can have many problems that some athletes overlook here are a few,taking steroids can cause cancer,women athletes can have risk of deepening voice or growth of hair,taking steroids can cause raging (when someone gets really mad) , suicidal thoughts,and even in some cases insanity.,men can ‘Develop breasts,Get painful erections,Have their testicles shrink,Have decreased sperm count,Become infertile,and Become impotent’. These are all really good reasons why many people and athletes alike should not take steroids.

On the other hand, steroids helps one heal much faster which is a good thing for someone who needs to get back quickly. Both men and women might experience severe acne, increased risk of tendinitis or tendon rupture, liver abnormalities and tumors, low cholesterol and high blood pressure. These are the main reasons for trying to ban steroids and other forms of doping from professional sports. PEDs may cause one to lose hair and can cause females to grow facial hair. In males, it can cause breast tissue development, reduction in sperm, and impotence. In females, it may cause deepening of the voice, and growth of hair on the face, stomach, and upper

According to Dr. Charles E. Yesalis, a professor health and human development at Penn St. University, "drug use among athletes has gone dramatically up in recent years. Athletes also are becoming more venturesome about mixing different types of drugs. One reason is that new drugs keep coming on the market, and some turn out to be of help in giving athletes a competitive edge. Sports officials feel they have no choice but to try to combat drug use in sports with every legitimate weapon at their command. They are motivated in part by concern for athletes' well being. Most performance-enhancing agents have side effects that can pose an immediate or long-range threat to health. But the officials are driven by self-interest too. If the public perceive major sports to be hopelessly drug-ridden, attendance and television viewership is likely to plummet. And thatcould lead to financial ruin for athletes and promoters alike. The monetary stakes are higher today than ever before. Many of the top athletes damned very high salaries, and a select few demand huge additional sums for product endorsement. Pro team owners, meanwhile, are constantly scrambling for more income from broadcasting and other sources to meet their massive payrolls and still turn a profit. A series of drug scandals might well cause media outlets and corporate sponsors