Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports

Performance enhancing drugs should be eliminated from all sports because they create an unfair competitive advantage. I am against the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in sports because it is a worldwide problem that takes the integrity out of the game. There are so many people involved from trainers, players and coaches. In the past athletes played for love of the game, today however, the players have so much more at stake then just being able to play the game because they love it.

Athletes will use any means necessary to get performance enhancing drugs(PED). They will use there team trainer or personal trainer to attain these drugs. Some athletes will go through their coach who may have the ability to supply the players with PED. These drugs will cost athletes thousands of dollars, but to them it is a small price to pay for the success it can bring to there career.

Types of PED

The most popular types of PEDs used are Anabolic Steroids, Androstenedione(Andro) and Balco. These PEDs can come in many forms such as an injection from a needle, pill, a powder mix, or even in a cream you can rub onto your body that soaks in to increase muscle mass. One reason pros use PED so much is because the perception of professional sports is that it is ok to do anything as long as you win (Reagan, 1999). Winning is what the fans want to see and they really do not care how it happens.

Side affects

There are many side affects for athletes using PEDs. These affects often are not immediate as players in the past have not seen any issues till well after they have retired from the sport. These athletes are well aware of the consequences they face when using drugs, but for a career and payday that will be remembered in history it is all worth it to them. Some of the side affects they face are cystic degeneration of the liver, benign and malign tumors, and dysfunction in the reproductive system in both male and female. There are also psychological affects such violent behavior, mental depression and suicidal behavior. Usually years after the player will stop using PED after the playing days are over then the physical deterioration takes place. This is noticeable since the person will be 240 pounds when they were playing and now are down to about 180 after they retire. If they go off the PED altogether then there weight will drop and muscles shrink tremendously. A great example is Lyle Alzado, a former NFL player who was a terror on the field with PED. After retirement he was a broken down old man who could barely walk and eventually died from so many performance substances he had taken during his career.

History

PED have a tremendous affect on the history of pro sports. Athletes who use PED are cheaters, plain and simple. These players are sacrificing the integrity of the game by cheating; they cheat the other players who only use the god given ability to compete. If a “natural” player can throw a 90 mile an hour fastball and a player on PED can throw 98, then who is going to make the team, the one who can throw harder or run faster. They cheat the history of past players who were great players and possible set records that they are trying to break. There are so many records falling in all sports that have been in place for decades. Back in 1998 when Mark McGuire and Sammy Sosa were chasing the single season home run record of 61, which happen to be in the year 1961 by Roger Maris. Both athletes catapulted to new heights in one season. After the 98 season McGuire hit 70 and Sosa 68, both breaking the previous record that was more then 30 years old. Then to follow that up Barry Bonds comes along and breaks McGuire’s record a few years later. In baseball this was so sudden and a shocker. Of course fans and sports casters have argued that his record should not count sine he was found to be under PED scandal. Who will have the final say as to what records stand what records are chanted, but maybe they can just put an asterisks next to some.

Cheating the fans

Athletes that take PED are cheating the fans out of a real event. According to a poll on Espn.com website 68% of people think that most sports are corrupted by PED and will not attend events live. Most athletes are looked up to by millions of kids and adults as role models since they are the big star or the best in the game they play. These players that use PED are setting false examples to those kids. They are lying to them basically by using the drugs. If most kids knew that there favorite player was a cheater that child would be crushed. Some players say they do not want to be role models, that the child’s parents should be the role models, but it is difficult to see a player on TV and on the field and not admire them.

When a player’s performance increases they often demand a bigger contract and more money. When an athlete can run faster and jump higher then most others he will be considered a star. There are also egos involved as most think they are the best and want to world handed to them on a silver platter. When athletes take these PED to get the big payday they need