The question that is debatable in today’s times is should performance enhancing drugs be legal for athletes to take. In today’s competitive world of all types of spots, athletes try to get a competitive edge over their competition by using performance enhancing drugs, even when they know it can be detrimental to their health and their lives in so many ways. In the society we live in today, many athletes are taking performance enhancing drugs. So many things point to why performance enhancing drugs should be banned, and if taken, the consequences can be severe. These drugs have such a negative effort on your body if they drugs as “so-called” taken correctly or not taken correctly. Athletes have become so competitive that their judgment becomes clouded by the want to be superior in the sport, even if it means doing something illegal such as taking performance enhancing drugs. “It's human nature to obtain an edge, whether in combat, in business or in sports,” says Charles Yesalis, a professor of health and human development at Pennsylvania State University and a leading expert on — and opponent of — performance-enhancing drugs” (Jost). The athletes that consume these products, also known as “doping” reap rewards and benefits that the athlete who does not take the drugs receive. Some of the advantages that athletes get as a result from taking performance enhancing drugs are the promotion of muscle building (Mayo Clinic). “These type of performance-enhancers serve mainly as training aids. By helping muscles to recuperate more quickly from exhaustion or injury, these substances enable users to train more frequently and for longer periods at high intensity” (Worsnop). These drugs provide a type of “high” that allows them t... ... middle of paper ... ...g athletes and if for no other reason, that alone should scare us all, especially the parents of these young athletes. Works Citied J. Savulescu, B. Foddy, M. Clayton. British Journal of Sports Medicine. 2004. Web. 27 February 2014. United States Doping Agency. 2001 – 2004. Web. 28 February 2014. http://www.usada.org/effects-peds. Mayo Clinic. Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. 1998-2004. Web. 4 March 2014. http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-living/fitness/in-depth/performance-enhancing-drugs/art-20046134 ESPN.com. Report: ARod Test Positive in 2003. Web. 8 February 2009. http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=3890785 Jost, Kenneth. "Sports and Drugs." CQ Researcher 23 July 2004: 613-36. Web. 17 Mar. 2014. Worsnop, Richard L. "Athletes and Drugs." CQ Researcher 26 July 1991: 513-36. Web. 17 Mar. 2014.
Professional athletes, throughout history, have been exalted for their outstanding abilities and achievements in sports. Unfortunately, many athletes have turned to anabolic steroids in order to give them an edge, a boost their athletic performance. Starting with the 1954 World Weightlifting Championships, where the Soviets unexpectedly dominated their lifting classes with the use of steroids, it has become increasingly popular among athletes to cheat with the help of this drug. Although the appeal to steroid use is evident when observing how it increases someone’s athletic abilities, many users fail to consider the detrimental side effects of the drug. Also, in my opinion, athletes should be expected to perform based upon their natural abilities, opposed to abilities enhanced by anabolic steroids. Ultimately, anabolic steroids should continue to be illegal in professional sports due to their major health risks and the unfair advantage they serve players.
Marcovitz, Hal. How Serious a Problem Is Drug Use in Sports? San Diego: Reference Point Press, 2013. Print.
MacAuley, Domhnall. “Drugs in Sport.” BMJ: British Medical Journal, 313.7051, 7/27/96, 211. Online. EBSCOhost. 16 Nov. 1999. http://www.EBSCOhost.com.
The use of illegal substances in sports is a trendy topic in today’s society. In the last few years a copious amount of players have been under the spotlight of substance abuse, which led to a punishment for their actions. Andrew Sullivan wrote an article in the year 2004 called “In a Drugged-up Nation, the Steroid Sports Star is King”, in which he illustrates how these “pharmaceuticals” have revolutionized sports around the world but mostly in America. These drugs have had a large influence in the overall performance of the players, even if it the use of drugs is “often denied or simply overlooked”(Sullivan 1), it will lead to a lack of judgment in what is right and what is wrong.
When was the last time you saw a sporting event and thought what you just saw was incredible? That whoever just did that was superhuman? Now put this through your mind. That athlete could improve his or her already superb skills into something even greater. This can be possible with the help of steroids. There is a current debate of allowing steroids to be legal in sports. Steroids should not be allowed in sports. Some people ask why. This research paper will give those people just a few of the many reasons why it should not be allowed. Through examining dangers of steroid abuse, ethics in sports, and characteristics of individuals who take and use steroids, it is evident that steroids should not be allowed in sports.
Grant, Scott. “Results the effects of performance enhancing drug use in sports on American society.” Articals.elitefts.com/trainin-articals/results-the-effect-of-performance-enhancing-drug-use-in-sports-on-american-society. 23 Jan 2013. Web. 5 May. 2014
MacAuley, D. (1996, July 27). Drugs in sports. British Medical Journal. Downloaded January 7, 2005 from Western International University online library, Info Trac, http://www.apollolibrary.com/Library/databases.aspx?db=0
Mohun, Janet and Aziz Khan. Drugs, Steroids, and Sports. New York, NY: F. Watts, 2008.
Nelson, Elizabeth Ann. Coping with drugs and sports. New York: Rosen Pub. Group, 1992. Print.
Most serious athletes will tell you that the competitive drive to win can be fierce. Besides the satisfaction of personal accomplishment, athletes often pursue dreams of winning a medal for their country or securing a spot on a professional team or to make their family proud. In such an environment, the use of performance drugs has become increasingly common. But using performance drugs — aka, doping — isn't without risks. “Take the time to learn about the potential benefits, the health risks and the many unknowns regarding so-called performance drugs such as anabolic steroids, androstenedione, human growth hormone, erythropoietin, diuretics, creating and st...
Scott, Michael. “The Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports.” The Use of performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports. San Joaquin Delta College, 2008. Web. 19 June 2013.
Many Athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to become a professional. One of the easiest ways to enhance natural ability is through performance-enhancing drugs or, PEDs. PEDs are substances used by athletes to increase their performance. The use of PEDs in athletic competition can date back to ancient Greece. Athletes use PEDs to run faster, jump higher and recover at an increased pace. Many athletes are pressured into using PEDs by coaches or managers and are not thoroughly educated the harmful health issues that can come along with taking performance-enhancing drugs. A rising issue is if performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in professional sports. I believe that in any professional sport, the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes should continue to be banned because this rule will help to keep athletes from abusing these harmful drugs.
..., Kjetil K. "Why We Shouldn’t Allow Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sport." Academia.edu. Academia.edu, 1 Apr. 2011. Web. 06 Jan. 2014. .
Doping is a practice that has been going on since the time of "ancient Greek athletes, who supposedly ate herbs, sesame seeds, dried figs, and mushrooms for this purpose" (Hoberman, 1992, 104). Likewise, athletes have readily consumed such drugs as caffeine and alcohol to improve performa...
Overall it is clear that the need to use performance enhancing drugs is outweighed by the consequences and issues caused by performance enhancing drugs. Sporting events such as the world cup, the Olympics or the World Series make young children feel inspired and encouraged about what they could achieve through dedication and hard work. I feel it is important for the sporting industry as well as the athletes to return respectability to the sport. By