...Performance enhancing drugs (also known as PED) are legal and illegal substances used by professional athletes to enhance their performance. Performance enhancing drug use by professional athletes is a topic of medical, ethical, and social debate. PED usage by professional athletes has advocates arguing that the negative health consequences reported are grossly exaggerated and they contend that it’s an athlete’s personal decision to accept any potential harmful health hazards. They believe that performance enhancing drug usage is just part of a sport’s natural progression and nothing more than the incorporation of enhanced training approaches and new sport technologies. Additionally, they believe that the use of PED by professional athletes helps them to achieve the highest levels of athletic performance and puts a better product before the public. Opponents of performance enhancing drug use by professional athletes argue that their usage is extremely harmful, and possibly lethal to an athlete’s well-being. Such use makes a professional athlete a fraud, gaining an unfair competitive advantage, violating the competitive spirit of athleticism, and sending an immoral message to youngsters. Opponents further argue that the use of performance enhancing drugs by professional athletes is unethical behavior. PED use is one of the most controversial and talked-about issues in professional sports. The professional sports most impacted are baseball, basketball, and football, which...
Words: 2466 - Pages: 10
...Drug use has reached an all-time high in the sports arena. The need to succeed, be among the elite, financial gain, and the pressure to win are some of the many reasons that drugs are found in sports today. Drugs in sports range from therapeutic drugs, performance enhancement drugs, and recreational drugs. Drugs in sports are found on various levels of competition such as: high school, college, and professional sports. High school athletes' are using enhancement drugs so that they may receive a college scholarship, collegiate athletes' are using drugs so that they make it to the professional level, and professional athletes' are using drugs to make sure that they stay among the elite. Drug use in athletics have led to suspensions of players, athletes being banned from that particular sport, and ultimately death. There are many reasons for using drugs in sports, with performance enhancement being one of the top reasons, but no one will ever understand why athletes risk their career and lives. A concern for the public is the fact that athletes assume these risks just to be among the top competitors of sports. Drugs are a danger to the health of athletes. Drug use to enhance performance is unethical, and using drugs is illegal in today's society. Drugs in sports is unethical because the focus of winning and succeeding overshadows the real reasons for playing sports such as the love for a sport, natural talent and ability, and hard work to be among the elite. Athletes are thinking...
Words: 4069 - Pages: 17
...Performance Enhancement Drugs in Sports, the Ethical Choice In May 28, 2002, former Major League Baseball player Ken Caminiti admits to Sports Illustrated in the article “Caminiti Comes Clean” that he used steroids during his 1996 National League MVP (most valuable player) season with the San Diego Padres and he estimated that half of the players in the big leagues were also using steroids. He later died of a heart attack at age 40 where it was ruled by the New York Medical Examiner that drugs are a factor in his death. In October 5, 2007, track star Marion Jones admits to use steroids during the 2000 Olympic Games where she won three Gold Medals and two Bronze Medals. She was later sentenced to six months in prison for lying to the court and stripped off of all of her medals. Throughout history, there have been many stories of athletes using performance enhancing drugs, but none more than in the last 20 years. As technology advances in science as well as the media, more drugs has been engineer to enhance performance as well as the test to detect such drugs, as the results get to the hands of the media, the entire world would be at noticed in a manner of minutes. The fact is that performance enhancing drugs have existed since the time of the ancient Greek during the original Olympic Games from 776 BC – 393 BC. The question is why should we care? If most athletes are using it, is it a plain level field? And why is the government involved? Should the government be involved? ...
Words: 2000 - Pages: 8
...(Schermer, 2008). The performance enhancing drugs are becoming needed good for some athletes in order to succeed. There is a tremendous clash of ideas, what path we should take in according to these types of drugs. The million-dollar question is to legalize them or not. In “Good sport, bad sport” published in The Age, Julian Savalescu and Bennett Foddy (2004) argue that the use of performance enhancing drugs should be legalized in sports because it is not “against the spirit of sport.” First of all, the authors introduce the issue of using drugs in sports as something that has been around for a long period of time, even in the Ancient Olympics. Savalescu and Foddy then explain that the elimination of drug use in sports is failing. They say the athletes’ desire to win is a lot of times stronger than staying clean. In addition, Savalescu and Foddy argue that performance enhancing drugs do not doubt the spirit of sport. In their view, making human biology more effective symbolizes the human spirit. They say that sports are about striving to be better, and drugs allow athletes to do that. Savalescu and Foddy also claim that sports today are aimed against people without genetic predispositions to be the best, and so taking drugs would equalize people with different genetic predispositions. In their opinion, the process to give everyone the same starting point would combine genetics, hard work and performance enhancing drugs. Next, Savalescu and Foddy (2004) discuss the use of EPO in sports...
Words: 1758 - Pages: 8
...The main comment people think about when they hear athletes using performance enhancement drugs and why it should be illegal are the health risks. What is a performance enhancing substance? “A substance or method is considered to be performance-enhancing when it has the potential to enhance or enhances sport performance” “It also represents an actual or potential health risk to an athlete”(Performance-Enhancing Drugs and Their Side-Effects.) There are physical and mental effects of taking the drugs. “The physical effects could be acne, male pattern baldness, liver damage and stunted growth if you’re still an adolescent”( Effects of Performance-Enhancing Drugs | USADA). “More serious effects include heart and liver damage, and an increased risk...
Words: 599 - Pages: 3
...017 Risk-Enhancing Drugs – Is Winning the Only Thing? How far would you go to win? The culture of sports revolves around the goal of winning, this mindset forces athlete to take risk; however, does this ideology cause athletes to make bad decisions. One of the biggest issues in sports today is the use of performance-enhancing drugs as a way of “cheating” in order to get an edge on opponents. From the high school level all the way up to the professional level, men and women have been caught using these drugs, which are banned. It is easy to see the positive effects of using these performance-enhancing drugs with athletes becoming faster, bigger, and stronger; however, these athletes and there spectators don’t realize why these performance enhancing drugs are actually illegal, especially college students who are the major risk takers. Attached to the natural benefits of these drugs that make athletes feel closer to achieving their dream of winning are health risk, reputation risk, and loads of other negative effects of using PEDs. Enrolled in the University of North Texas, the authors of this paper have created a blog in order to appeal to the athletes here at UNT in order to help educate them on the exact reasons why these performance-enhancing drugs are illegal and to help persuade them against using them. In addition to reading and learning about the negative effects of PEDs, we have also included a pledge onto the page that athletes can sign to pledge not to use PEDs. Audience ...
Words: 2971 - Pages: 12
...Sports and Performance Enhancing Drugs John Alvarez Student #0588681 Essay 2 April 1, 2015 PHI – 010 Professor Andrea Yusim Words: 1,519 In a country that is obsessed with winning and competition, athletes, teams and even fans have tried to gain an advantage against their competition. As athletes become bigger, stronger and faster, the margin and window of opportunity to become the best athlete in their respective sports is surely becoming smaller and smaller. Many people will argue that performance enhancing drugs will help in promoting player health and recovery and that sports in general will benefit overall. In this paper, I will argue that the argument in favor of performance enhancement drug use is not valid because performance enhancing drugs are unethical, create unfair competitive advantages and do not promote the very essence of the value of sports which is hard work and team work. Team and individual sports in the United States is a very important part of culture. Athletes are revered for their prowess and mastery of their respective sports and are at times treated as demi-gods. Individual teams and entire leagues depend on these very athletes to compete at the highest level and with the utmost sense of integrity in order to show that their leagues are played ethically. So not only are athletes expected to be at their very best, they are also expected to do so without compromising the integrity of the sport such as cheating by using PEDs. In the article...
Words: 1694 - Pages: 7
...Illegal Drug Use in Sports Drug testing in professional sports should be at random times and professional sports leagues should have stricter policies on drug testing. Performance enhancing drugs give professional athletes unfair advantages that are unfair to the athletes who do not use performance enhancing drugs. When athletes use performance enhancing drugs it affects their health and if they are caught when drug tested the athlete can face severe punishments. Consequently, if an athlete is caught using performance enhancing drugs it sends a negative message to young people that often look up to professional athletes. If drug testing was not required in professional sports, some athletes would gain an unfair advantage. Performance enhancing drugs have been used from all the way back to the Greek Olympics through present day. The first drug tests began in February 1968 at the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France. "The IOC instituted its first compulsory doping controls at the Winter Olympic Games in Grenoble, France in 1968 and again at the Summer Olympic Games in Mexico City in the same year. At that time the list of banned substances issued in 1967 included narcotic analgesics and stimulants, which comprised sympathomimetic amines, psychomotor stimulants and miscellaneous central nervous system stimulants [including alcohol]. Although it was suspected that androgenic anabolic steroids were being used at this time, testing methods were insufficiently developed to...
Words: 992 - Pages: 4
...Running Header: At What Cause Will Athlete Stop Using Performance Enhancer At What Cause Will Athlete Stop Using Performance Enhancer Kha’Lashia Ketchum Axia College of University of Phoenix COM/120 Sandy Lacer Performance-Enhancing Drugs in Sports A performance-enhancing drug in sports is a big thing these days. Athletes are using them to increase their ability to win. Ethically speaking at what cost do we say enough. Think about their lives, by continuing to take these form of enhancement what effect will they have in the long run. Maybe if we understand the types of drugs, the side effects, health risk, and consequence of taking drugs. Athletes would stop using these forms of performance-enhancer. The type of Drugs Athletes Take Athletes use many different types of performance-enhancer in professional sports today from pills to steroids; they will even go as far as self-injecting their own blood as a dope. Blood Doping is where the athletes take there own blood and injected in their bodies to produce more oxygen in their blood in order to increase their chances of win. The positive thing about doing this is that it makes it easy for the athletes to breathe a longer time, which give them a better chance for winning. “Athletes have always been aware of the possible benefit of improving oxygen carrying capacity in endurance sport, hence many train at altitude. More recently athletes have used blood doping – in which blood is taken off...
Words: 1418 - Pages: 6
...motivation for athletes to take performance enhancing drugs despite the risks involved? Abstract Drugs in sport is an ongoing problem which I believe will never be completely abolished from the sporting world. We have definitely come a long way since the early days of drug use with the introduction of governing bodies such ad WADA to help control the testing of athletes and the detection of illegal substances, however I do not think we will be able to completely remove this ’drug culture’ from the sporting world. Therefore having experienced first-hand the drug testing practices involved in detection after competing in the world youth championships this year I was interested to look into the motivation behind athletes who choose to cheat and risk their future career both athletically and their career after retirement having been branded as a 'cheat’ within their sport. I will do this by looking into the history of drug use in sport and the enhancements the drugs provide to performance to try to understand why athletes risk their careers to simply win. Contents | | Abstract | 2 | Introduction | 2 | Drugs in sport; a modern problem? | 3 | Drugs in sport: what are they? * Amphetamines * Anabolic steroids * EPO * Diuretics * Caffeine | 3-6 | Drugs in sport: health risks | 6-7 | Drugs in sport:...
Words: 3937 - Pages: 16
...“The challenge is not to find a top player who has used steroids. The challenge is to find a top player who hasn’t…” - Jose Canseco (2005) Performance-Enhancing drugs are widely used in sports in order to win and be the best, despite the fact that they are illegal and dangerous. It has always been a very “Black and White” issue. Many people, while they may not agree with it; they believe we should ignore it because these are “Sports Stars”. While others, want the athletes in question to be stripped of any titles they may have achieved while supposedly “juicing”. I believe that this is an issue of whom the controversy surrounds and why it is happening in sports. Athletes use Performance-Enhancing drugs despite the risk of side-effects. There have been serious documented risks of using Performance-Enhancing drugs. Some of these side effects are: death, high blood pressure, heart attacks, liver damage, stroke, headaches, increased risk of joint and tendon injuries, baldness, “roid rage”, hallucinations, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, reduced sperm count, impotence, increased breast size, and enlarged prostate are side-effects that occur in men. (American Academy of Pediatrics. 2002). Many companies have produced supplements that do not require a prescription or can be obtained legally that may produce similar results in muscle gain and strength, without the dangerous steroid side-effects. The companies that produce steroids state that they...
Words: 1952 - Pages: 8
...National Institute on Drug Abuse Society today is a highly antagonistic environment where people compete for jobs, college admissions, fame and status. In a high-pressured society, people are willing to do whatever it takes to be number one, or the best at what they do. The smallest, slightest advantage could make all the difference in the world, especially in an olympic race where .5 milliseconds could be the difference between winning and losing. The use of performing enhancing drugs has given athletes an advantage, over those who do not use them. Not only have athletes engaged in the use of anabolic steroids, but other drugs such as stimulants, beta-blockers, diuretics, and human growth hormone. Society has placed a pressure on athletes...
Words: 1805 - Pages: 8
...Performance Enhancing Drugs in Professional Athletics In the year 2009, a famous baseball player known as Alex Rodriguez finally confessed to using performance enhancing drugs between the years of 2001 and 2003 while playing for the Texas Rangers. He said he felt pressured into doing so because he needed to be able to really perform. Rodriguez was a first overall pick in 1993 by the Seattle Mariners, a 14-time All-Star, and three time American League MVP. Rodriguez wound up being suspended for 162 games and missing the entire 2014 season after admitting to using performance enhancing drugs. In order to gain control of doping in professional sports performance enhancing drugs should be legalized for all professional athletes. After all...
Words: 1482 - Pages: 6
...Why are Athletes Turning to Performance Enhancing Drugs? “One of the most exciting sports stories in recent years was the attempt to break Roger Maris’ single-season home run record [of sixty-one] in baseball. On September 8, 1998, Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals made history by hitting his sixty-second home run,” writes William Dudley. He also states, “However, many people believe that McGwire’s achievement was tarnished by a revelation some weeks earlier that he had been using androstenedione, a compound that temporarily boosts levels of the male sex hormone testosterone” (Dudley, 7). This drew attention to the serious problem of performance enhancing drug use in professional and amateur sports. The issue of performance enhancing...
Words: 1368 - Pages: 6
...Ethical issues regarding the use of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports In the history of 20th century sports, specifically in the post World War 2 era, there has been an ever increasing use of performance enhancing drugs in all avenues of sport. Sports have become money making machine for both athletes and big business and the “win at all costs” attitude which has permeated itself into all aspects of professional and college level athletics. Winners make money, losers don’t. The temptation of fame, notoriety and million dollar contracts in all venues of sport is a lure for many athletes. Elite professional athletes are worshiped in today’s society. This paper will elaborate on the use of performance enhancing drugs in the sporting world and the associated sports ethical issues. It is a majority belief in all sporting circles that the “true” spirit of sportsmanship does not allow any aspect of performance enhancing drugs. There are several arguments both in favor and against the use of performance enhancing drugs which will be presented and discussed in this paper. While addressing this ethical issue, we need to define the term ethics. Ethics can be defined as the socially accepted norms and values. These norms and values are varied from society to society and are based on culture and tradition. Ethics also could be defined as the unsaid, un-written and understood laws that prevail in a society. Ethics also cover what is right and what is wrong in society and teaches...
Words: 4511 - Pages: 19
