Matthew De Cesare
May 19th, 2014
Research Paper Final Draft
The Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports According to NPR.com, the argument over the use of performance-enhancing drugs by professional athletes has been at the center of an international ethical debate for many years (Katz). Many people argue that these drugs should be allowed, while others argue that these drugs should be banned from professional sports. Professional sports athletes should avoid the use of performance-enhancing drugs so that the integrity of sports will not be damaged. According to SportingLife360.com, many laws in sports prevent athletes from using performance-enhancing drugs in a way that will give them an advantage over their competitors (Stein). Also, many professional athletes must be tested so that the sports organizations can tell if they are cheating by using these performance-enhancing drugs (Katz). These athletes that get caught for cheating in professional sports are usually suspended from their sport for a certain amount of games or they could be given a warning for this offense (Stein). In fact, the definition of performance-enhancing drugs is any substance taken in order to become athletically better in sports (Stein). To conclude, many people wonder how these athletes are not getting caught for using performance-enhancing drugs when there are so many laws that prevent athletes from cheating in professional sports (Katz). First, athletes who take
Performance enhancers are very prominent in professional sports today. A lot of players are facing suspensions and other penalties for using them. The sport that gets scrutinized the most for this is Baseball. Many former users in the MLB (or formally the NABBP) have come out saying that they were using these drugs while playing. Some of these players are Jorge Sosa, Antonio Bastardo, and the famous Alex Rodriguez. Although these drugs have been prohibited, players are still finding ways around the tests which is why in some other countries they are legal so that no one player can have an unfair advantage.
Athletes partaking in performance enhancing drugs is another sport specific risk behaviour to achieve victory. Taking performance enhancing drugs gives an extra edge and is a short cut to good performance. It allows one to perform under any circumstances. In fact, stimulants are the most common types of drugs that are misused. Stimulants reduce tiredness and pain. Further, it increases endurance and explosive power due to the reduction of pain. The earliest reasons for the use of stimulants is because of the restricting barriers to pain. Nevertheless, this causes more injuries as they are pushing their bodies past what they are physically capable of. However, they are not aware of this because at the time the athlete is no responsive to pain.
The growth and use of performance enhancing drugs makes them no longer a taboo subject among professional athletes, and is starting to become in fact rampant among athletes. There appears to be no end in sight when leagues like the NFL and NCAA have weak testing programs.
Whether or not Performing enhancing drugs or PEDs should be allowed in professional sports is one of the most widely discussed topics amongst fans and league officials. It brings a lot of controversy as well as a lot of upside. Many people argue that there is an unfair advantage amongst “clean” athletes while others say that there are many health benefits given to the athletes taking these drugs. As most things in our society, there are many things that have pros and cons to their use, it is just a matter of opinion and risk one is going to have to take if they are willing to go down that road.
Performance-Enhancing Drugs should not be allowed in today’s sports. Today`s athletes are looking for an advantage over there competition that will help them be winners. There here have been several debates about allowing athletes to use Performance-Enhancing Drugs, but personally, I think the commissioners of all sports are doing a fantastic job of not allowing it to be legal. Performance-Enhancing Drugs can be regarded in four classes: androstenedione, creatine, anabolic steroids, and ephedra alkaloids. If athletes take these kinds of drugs, they gain an advantage on their opponent. Some drugs are used to increase muscle mass, allow faster oxygen delivery to the muscles, or allow them to have a longer career in their sports profession. This should not be the
Since the dawn of the twenty-first century, performance enhancing drugs have become a religious practice in “the lives of some sport figures.” The use of these supplements have given athletes an edge to perform at maximum capability. Most major athletes all agree on the fact that the competitive drive is intensely fierce. Despite all, most athletes have high hopes of attaining prestigious awards, a full ride college scholarship or the once in a lifetime opportunity to play for a professional team. In such instances, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has become increasingly conventional (Athletes & Drug Use). Accomplishing such goals includes taking performance-enhancing drugs. As society evolves and progresses, one has to realize
Should athletes be able to take performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids? NO, research has shown that steroids can help you go beyond what you think you could be; but it is also a killer, and a destroyer and a life wrecker! Deborah Sorensen, former US professional bodybuilder announced: “ I've watched happy, energetic and positive guys go from Dr. Jekyll to Mr.Hyde, and I've seen petite women turn into hulking no-neck bearded monsters with acne all over their backs and shoulders.” Which some professional athletes can argue that when the are competing at the highest level the only thing that matters is winning; which young athletes are adopting this practice with hope to make it to the big leagues. Which in reality taking steroids might help you become a good athlete but you will be cheating yourself because in the long run
57% of steroid users say that they will continue to use it even if it shortens their lives. Being good at these sports earns you glory, sponsorship deals and money. These performance enhancing drugs increases the ability to be faster and stronger for a longer amount of time. Though some people may say that this is “cheating” because they are not using all of their own strength. Drugs in sports cannot be used in sports anymore because the human body is not able to keep up with the symptoms.
This issue has become a catalyst for fierce debate on whether or not performance enhancing drugs should be allowed in professional sports. Those opposed to the legalization of performance enhancing drugs argue that these drugs cause harm to athletes,
Since the beginning of sports athletes have sought a way to get an advantage over their opponents; Whether it be in ancient rome using berries to give a sight stimulation during competition or today injecting steroids to shave that extra second off your run, the use of PED’s are all over sports and are not leaving anytime soon. Steroid use in sports should be legalized because they will revolutionize the modern athlete, save thousands of money on drug tests, and no more athletes will lose their careers over doping scandals.
The risks of taking performance -enhancing drugs to improve an athletes’ performance outweighs the benefits. Along with the fact that all performance-enhancing drugs are illegal to use in sports, there are also serious side effects and addiction risks to the drugs. Athletes may choose from a variety of drugs and each may achieve different benefits. However, most of the time, athletes are uneducated in their decision to take the drugs, which can cause short term and long-term problems.
The definition of performance enhancing substances is simple. They are substances that are used to improve any form of activity performance in humans. They are substances used to make you increase in skill in physical activity. The case that is being presented presenting is the fact that too many athletes in major league sports are using too many performance enhancing substances and people aren’t doing anything about it. Athletes shouldn’t be allowed to increase their strength with some substance that doesn’t require work. My reasonings for this case is the cause of health issues, providing an unfair advantage, and lastly, it sets a bad example. Therefore athletes in major league sports should not be allowed to use performance enhancing substances.
Many people think that taking performance enhancing drugs, such as steroids, in order to bulk up, or to perform better in their sport, is harmless. However, that is false. Steroids can lead to many health problems, such as psychological problems, hormonal problems, musculoskeletal problems, and even death (NIDA). Also, it is not fair to those who choose to not use them. It is for these reasons that the use of performance enhancing drugs should not be allowed in any sport, professional or unprofessional.
For many years, performance-enhancing drugs have become very prevalent all over the world. A lot of people have struggled with making the decision to take them and then suffer the repercussions of their choice. Most of the time, its athletes that take PEDs and they then have a lot of influence over other people regarding the use of drugs to improve their work. Performance-enhancing drugs have become widely used all over the world and can cause many harmful effects on people’s bodies, minds, and reputations.
Some professional athletes use steroids and other drugs to gain a competitive advantage in their sport. In and effort to minimize the use of illegal supplements and other substances, drug test are conducted. Experts have suggested that use of anabolic steroids has reached epidemic proportions in high school athletes, representing a real life threatening risk. “The use of performance enhancing drugs in sports has been at the center of an international ethical debate for many years.” (Bouchard, Erika Sprague, Nancy. "Drug Testing for Sports: An Overview." Salem Press Encyclopedia, 2013. EBSCOhost,)Steroids shouldn’t be something people should be taking if they want to gain strength. They should try and gain it all