We all have a pro-athlete or a sports player that we admire. We might even call some of these players our idols. We support and love these athletes so much that we buy memorabilia that has their name and face plastered all over it, we are constantly up to date with their statistics and how they are playing in their sport, and we even know their daily routine and try to match ours with theirs. But what if this athlete was caught using performance enhancing drugs? Would we all still be head over heels for them? Maybe, but most likely not. Some would defend the athlete, but others may turn their love for them into hatred. Cheating is not only unethical, but it is also not beneficial to anyone who participates in it.
Lance Armstrong, a professional
…show more content…
Whether it is in video games or a standardized test, cheating is becoming more of an acceptable thing to everyone. Some may even say that cheating actually benefits the cheater. Mia Consalvo states in “Cheating Is Good for You” that “we all like to play God sometimes” when playing video games. She states “We want to have all the good items without having to go through 20 levels to unlock them.” Mia claims that “in those situations, cheating is about extending the play experience for ourselves and that no one is harmed in the process.” (507). I can agree that most people want to play God sometimes in all areas of life. Most want the best statistics for the sports they play, the best GPA in their graduating class, and the best score on the tests they take. The majority of people want it all and sometimes the only way to get there is to cheat and not earn their rewards. If they are taught that it's unharmful and okay to cheat in video games than it ultimately leads them to think that it's okay in other settings as well. If others are taught that cheating is actually good for them, then why would they receive an F on a test for cheating? They would receive that F because cheating is not tolerable in schools. The failing grade on a test or getting banned from a sport shows that cheating is unacceptable and that it does not benefit us. Cheating causes a short feeling of euphoria followed by intense guilt. Some crack under the pressure, just like Lance Armstrong did after feeling guilty for years upon years for cheating in
Performance enhancing drugs have been a longstanding problem in sports. It not only deteriorates the honesty of the game, but also can have broader social affects that one may not even realize. The use of performance enhancing drugs is especially apparent in Major League Baseball. This problem can be traced back to the 1980’s when baseball was facing one of its first “dark periods”. During the 1980’s Major League Baseball was experiencing a home run drought. Home run totals were down as far as they had been since Babe Ruth, and fans were seemingly becoming bored with the sport. The lack of home runs was a growing concern for players whose salary relied on home run totals. Players needed to find a quick way to boost their power and performance in order to keep the sport alive and to keep bringing in their paychecks. This desire for fame and fortune introduced steroids into Major League Baseball in the 1990’s and 2000’s. Home run totals jumped tremendously during these decades and players were willing to risk being caught using illegal substances in order to shine above the rest. New idols and role models started to sprout up from these outstanding home run statistics and young children started to take notice. This all came tumbling down when these new idols and role models who were making the big bucks and hitting the ball out of the park tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. Here lie the affects of a growing social problem in sports. These famed athletes become walking advertisements and promotions for the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports. The influence professional athletes have over aspiring young athletes is very powerful and these roles models make it seem acceptable to use performance ...
The thing that confuses me are the reasons why people cheat. I know that in college life, it is clear that grades are important. Since grades are so important, people want to do better and want to succeed in their classes that they are taking. By cheating, it makes it easier for them to get a better grade. I agree that it is not an honest thing to do, but it is clear that they are doing it for a reason, to benefit themselves. Also, people want to help their friends succeed so that is another part of it. I think if schools wanted to get rid of cheating, they should not focus on the grades as much. Grading people is important, but is it that important if everyone cheats? I also see how people want to be viewed as honest. I do not think people want to cheat because they think they will be viewed as immoral. Also, they could be punished which would hurt them as well. If everyone cheats in schools, why not just allow it? That is the way that the world is running currently and everyone is cheating their way through
The Bible, the inspired word of God clearly lays out that lying and cheating are sinful and lead to paths of destruction. Several verses outline on why the overall issues of using steroids in sports is morally and biblically wrong. In James 1:7 it states, “So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.” These athletes make a conscious decision to use the performance enhancers even though they know it is cheating and lying. The verse in James clearly stated that when you do the wrong thing even when you know what the correct thing is, it is sin. Another moral issue with the use of enhancers is the dignity and honor of the individuals that uses them. Several verses throughout the Bible describe how important it is to walk with integrity and honor. Proverbs 28:7 clearly outlines the issue of walking a life with integrity when it says, “Better is a poor man who walks in his integrity than a rich man who is crooked in his ways.” This verse describes that God views a man that walks in dignity with little accomplishments as better than a man who walks with little honor and multiple accomplishments. The use of steroids is morally and biblically wrong and God clearly highlights this in his word through several verses describing lying, cheating, dignity, and
Performance enhancing drugs affect so many people that don’t even realize it. Fans of the game, coaches, university leaders and of course athletes are the major groups of people that can be affected the most from the usage of performance enhancing drugs. Numerous studies have stated that an athletes drug use in sport could be credited to a complex interaction of personal and environmental factors (Judge). Athletes hold themselves to high standards for themselves or maybe even family members they must provide for. Athlete will do whatever it takes to strive in their sport because in most cases personal success can lead to better opportunities such as the National Football League or maybe even the National Basketball Association. Overall, individuals can be affected in a positive manner through the use of performance enhancing drugs. Furthermore, the use of performance enhancing can do nothing but help athletes. Also, some college athletes need performance enhancing drugs more than others. Not every athlete comes from a well provided family and knowing that can plaque athletes to where they’ll do whatever it takes to be successful. With this in mind it would totally be unfair if only one or a couple of athlete used enhancing drugs however if every athlete were granted the right to use performance enhancing drugs there
Human beings have always had a strong competitive nature, and many people have a inclination towards achieving fame and glory. Professional sporting events measure the great spirit, unique natural talents, and competitive nature of humans as they attempt to heroically represent the entire race. Often times humans search for the ultimate advantage in sports to put themselves above and beyond the other athletes. Unfortunately, some athletes turn to unnatural agents to supplement their own natural talents. They often ignore the side effects of the drugs and more importantly ignore the damage they do to how they are perceived and how people view the game. Athletes who use performance enhancing drugs, also known as PEDs, create a monstrous persona,
On August 24, 2012, the USADA announced that Lance Armstrong would be stripped of his seven Tour titles, honors and would be banned from cycling for life. The report stated that Armstrong had used banned performance-enhancing substances. On October 10, 2012, the USADA released evidence, which included laboratory tests, emails and monetary payments. "The evidence shows beyond any doubt that the U.S. Postal Service Pro Cycling Team ran the most sophisticated, professionalized and successful doping program that the sport had ever seen," Travis Tygart, chief executive of the USADA, said in a statement (“Lance Armstrong Biography” 1).
Sports players are starting to resort to different ways to help them play better or to get stronger. And one of the big ways right now is the use of PEDs. They use them because they are weaker then there opponents. But even though they make you stronger and gives you an edge over on everyone else that is not using them they ruin lives and make people think of you differently as a person. Elite athletes use them to help them win and or play better, example Lance Armstrong who is a seven time Tour de France winner, who was caught “doping” so that he was stronger and had more stamina then his other opponents. Then Alex Rodriguez claimed that he used steroids to help recover from his hip surgery. But when really it was helping him continue to smash the ball even when he was trying to recover from his injury, but he continued to use them after he was better. And the clinic he and twenty seven other professional baseball players were getting them from. When he and Lance were caught they still denied it. They lost a lot of respect in the community because there great performances weren’t really there raw skills and years of training. "A potent cocktail of sophisticated PEDs stacked together to delive...
Performance enhancing drugs are not fair in sports. First off, they are a form of cheating. Most athletes work in the weight room and sacrifice their time. They work hard to use their natural talents and abilities, PED’s give the players an undeserved and unfair edge over his or her peers. “It is not fair to those that are naturally talented or work hard to remain in shape for another to come in and take the spotlight because they have decided to take the easy route” says a individual from Debate.Org. Along with giving the player a trump card, so to speak, it gives the whole team an advantage. Therefore, the whole team or organization is now cheating! “Hard workouts can not have the same benefits as PED’s, this makes the users have an advantage.”
...use performance-enhancing drugs for many reasons, justifying the benefits while ignoring the risks. We as a society do not condone drug use in sports, but at the same time we look the other way for the star athlete giving him a slap on the hand and warning him not to do it again. I believe as long as society puts the idea that being the best player and having the best team is the # 1 priority, the use of performance-enhancing drugs will only get worse. We will get the upper hand on the use of illegal drugs in sports only when we as society look at sports for exactly what they are, just games.
In addition to drastic health consequences, PED's have taken a toll on sports themselves. My grandfather now says he dislikes baseball because of players’ to PED abuse. “You can't tell if it is real. Who knows who has real talent and who is juiced up?” he told me once. It Seems difficult for many fans to obtain the level of excitement that they once had for sports when it could all be fake. According to Newsday,since 2005, as many as 62 players have been banned or suspended from the MLB for taking steroids. In other sports, athletes like Lance Armstrong, Luiza Galiulina, Marion Jones, Tyson Gay have found themselves in trouble for steroid abuse as
Drugs bring out the flaws in people. The worst decisions can ruin a life. Everyday drug users had the potential to become more. Sports increase the need for faster players allowing more opportunities in the drug world. Usage of steroids is a sickness and not acceptable on or off the field. By cheating your way to the top you crush people who equally worked hard as well. Athletes should be tested to prevent the unfair circumstances many find themselves in. Players should not be permitted to take any illegal drugs that could improve their status on the team. Sports is being born with drive and talent not taking a pill to make you unnaturally a great athlete.
But it is also a good thing for the players to be able to access a better athlete of themselves. To find a part of them that they would never even imagine. We need to stop worrying about everyone being the same person, because let’s face it they are not. Everyone is a different person and have different ability’s. if someone wants to be better than what they are now and they think they can become a better athlete, let them use steroids to be where they want to be in life. Who are we to judge someone on their lives decision? There are possible risks of a person having problems with their life later on but that is the person’s own risk of taking the drug. We should let the athletes chose to use steroids instead of controlling them on their every move through life. We do not own them, yes we are there boss, but we can’t control them. When I say we I am referring to the people on the board of the Sports Association. Yes, the teams have bought them for a price they could not refuse, but the owner of the team and the board won’t own them as people. We all have freedom, but it’s what you do with the freedom is what makes you. If it does not affect other peoples lives, then why should it matter if a player wants to take steroids? It does not change the way you live your life. People want to see you succeed in life, especially the fans want to see
Human condition can be defined as how people react when given the choice to do good or evil, and what causes them to choose either good or evil. The human condition for example is like having the imaginary angel on one shoulder and having the devil on the other. People can either choose to do good and pick the angel, or can choose evil and go with the devil. The human condition would be what drives someone to choose the angel or devil; almost like what their reasoning would be. Sometimes, what causes someone to choose to do something evil is that in order to have a good ending, an act of evil needs to be committed in order to do good in the end.
Athletes And Drug Use Many people believe that drug use in professional athletics is not a serious problem, however it is more widespread and serious than people think. In professional athletics, the use of drugs is looked upon as somewhat of a serious problem, but is also very discrete and low key. Every once in a while one might see a prominent figure in a certain sport being reprimanded for the use of some outlawed drug, however this is just one of the many who happen to get caught. Athletes today seem to find no moral problem with using performance-enhancing drugs, or in other words cheating. Also, many of them feel that because they are "stars" there should be no repercussions for their illegal activity.
To cheat is to act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage. The use of performance –enhancing drugs in sports is morally wrong due to the fact that it is only a sign of cheating, impacts the future generation, and is deceiving to fellow audience. This goes against all the things sport fans theorize from athletes. People expect to see the individuals perform with the best of their abilities. It is what makes watching sports more interesting and creates competition. Performance enhancing drugs in sport should not be tolerated and should be illegal because it eliminates competition.