Athletes and sports workers frequently use drugs at almost all levels of competition. The goal of drug use in sports is to enhance performance or to help athletes cope with stressors like pressure to perform, injuries, physical discomfort, and worry about leaving their sport. (Reardon and Creado 95). However, professional athletes began to recognize the problem in the 1960s. Due to the Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative (BALCO) investigations involving former professional athletes and a 2007 report about drug use in professional baseball, the problem of drug use has recently received more attention. The issue was further enhanced by the scandal involving the Russian Olympic team in 2014 (CNN Library para.1). Therefore, as a result of the harmful effects and deceptive nature of drugs such as steroids in sports, athletes should not be permitted to access these drugs.
Background
The history of drug use in sports can be traced back to ancient times even before organized sports had been developed. Since the discovery of sports, many professional athletes have engaged in the use of drugs to enhance their performance due to the competitive nature of many sports. During the ancient Olympics, many activities which are considered cheating in the modern day were acceptable except game fixing (Austin 3). As a result, these athletes would use experimental herbal medications to enhance their performance. Furthermore, drugs would be used to prevent fatigue and injury. For instance, in 100 AD, gladiator competitions and chariot racing were popular games in the Roman culture (Austin 4). Hence, gladiators would ingest stimulants such as strychnine to avoid fatigue and injury while improving the intensity of their fight (Austin 4). On the other hand, horses would be fed substances that would stimulate them to run faster in chariot races.
In the recent times, the most notable occurrence of drug use in sports is usually witnessed in Olympic Games especially in field and track events such as running. For instance, in 2014, the Russian Olympic team was involved in a major drug use scandal. According to Bishara (para.3), during the 2014 winter Olympics, a state-sponsored doping test was conducted in Russia and the government was in charge of the program. The revelation shows the extent to which countries go to ensure that they perform better in the Olympic Games. Following this scandal, the Russian track and field athletes were banned from participating in the summer Olympics which were to be held in Rio in 2016 (Bishara para.15).
Understanding of Opposition
Drug use among athlete is not wholly harmful and deceptive depending on the nature of the sport. In fact, the use of steroid among athletes is not harmful to their lives compared to other activities that people partake. Among some athletes, use of steroid is just a common behavior just like those people who engage in skiing and cliff diving. Criminalizing the use of steroid in sports because of the potential health risk to the athlete is not justifiable because there are other life behavior, legal drugs and activities which are more harmful. Among the list of drugs and diets which athletes are permitted to use, steroids are in the bottom of the list among those that can cause serious harm to the body (ProCon.org para.2). Hence, it is not justifiable to criminalize its use will allow the athletes to partake in some diets. Therefore, some steroid should be allowed to be used in controlled measures to ensure that the individuals using them are not harmed.
Furthermore, the claim that the use of steroid among athletes is deceptive to the nature of the sport cannot be justified. In a case, where steroid are allowed to be used by the athletes, many athletes will partake it to improve their performance. However, some athletes may decide not to use the drug. In such a case, the athletes should be allowed to declare whether they are using the drug or not publicly. As a result, an athlete will have informed the opponent about the type of drug they are using thus it will not be deceptive because the opponent will have details about the other person’s performance. Furthermore, steroids in some cases so not boost the performance of a person (ProCon.org para.4). For instance, in javelin games, a person might be high on steroids, but if they lack the technical ability to throw the javelin, then they will not be able to improve their performance. Therefore, the use of steroid can be allowed in cases where its use will not affect the overall outcome of the sport and in cases where the opponent is informed about the consumption of the drug.
Assert Position
In an athlete’s life, there are several that can lead to drug use. The primary reasons for drug use include enhancing their performance, to self-treat illnesses which they do not want the public to know and to deal with stressors such as fatigue and pressure to perform (Reardon and Creado 95). The continued use of this drugs is harmful to the life of the athlete because it may lead to drug addiction and drug abuse. An athlete may continue to face the stressor in life and the need to maintain performing better in games leading to an increase in the use of steroid by the athlete. The rise in drug use then results in drug addiction and in cases where steroids are unable to satisfy the needs of the athlete, the athlete may turn to substance abuse to cope with the numerous stressors (Reardon and Creado 96).
Moreover, although some individuals may claim that the use of steroids is not deceptive to the nature of the sport, its use may give an opponent a competitive advantage hence making the sport to be unfair. Steroid stimulates the muscles of a person and provides them with an increased supply of testosterone. As a result, the performance of such an individual in sports such as running will be improved. To maintain a fair competing ground, various sports organizations in the world have banned the use of any drug which is known to enhance the performance of a person. The first body to ban the use of PEDs was the International Association of Athletics Federation. These organizations have set strict rules for individuals who may be caught using drugs to enhance their performance. Therefore, the band of PEDs sets a level competing ground for all athletes.
Common Ground
The main aim for the use of drugs in many sports is to improve performance. Athletes use steroids to boost their energy supply so that they can be able to endure challenging circumstance and produce better performance. However, other better alternatives can improve an individual's performance which are legal and safe to the health of a person. For instance, instead of depending on drugs to boost their performance, athletes can train harder and observe a healthier diet. Having a healthy diet and engaging in consistent training will enable an athlete to achieve their best performance in the field.
Conclusion
To conclude, athletes should not be permitted to use steroid due to the deceptive nature and harmful effects of the drugs. The use of these drugs creates an unhealthy competing environment which is unfair and unsafe to the opponent. Although steroids appear to be harmless to the body, the overall and long-term effect of the continued use of these drugs is harmful as it may lead to substance abuse. In many sports, the governing bodies have illegalized the use of steroid to create a fair and equal competing ground. Therefore, athletes should desist from using steroid so that they can participate in sporting activities equally, safely, and fairly.
Works Cited
Austin, Jane. Drug Use and Abuse in Sport. U3asites.org.uk, October 2014. Web. 26 October 2017.
Bishara, Motez. Russian doping: ‘An unprecedented attack on the integrity of sport & the Olympic Games.’ CNN, 21 July 2016. Web. 26 October 2017.
CNN Library. Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports Fast Facts. CNN, 28 May 2017. Web. 26 October 2017.
ProCon.org. Should Steroid be accepted in Sports? ProCon.ORG, n.d. Web. 26 October 2017.
Reardon, Claudia L., and Shane Creado. "Drug abuse in athletes." Substance abuse and rehabilitation 5 (2014): 95-105.
