Drug use in Sports? | Teen Ink

Drug use in Sports?

December 2, 2013
By Steven_Hyde GOLD, Auburn, New York
Steven_Hyde GOLD, Auburn, New York
17 articles 1 photo 21 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Just Do It"
- Nike
"An eye for an eye only makes the world blind"
- Ghandi


Performance enhancing drugs in sports has become a controversial issue in today's professional sports world, as pros and cons are discussed in the media and among Professional organizations. Today's athletes continue to push the boundaries of excellence in performance and physical fitness. Helping these athletes are more refined training methods and technologies.

"For many male high school athletes, pro athletes are major influences. They are the role models. There are many types of role models in society. For example; sometimes celebrity role models are created at a distance and are more image than reality. Not to say they aren't good or talented people, but they are third-person versions because there is a person in between who is writing or telling about them. Kids in most or every society are "Growing a “self esteem.” Gangs recruit based on friendship by seeking vulnerable children with few or no friends or providing children the promise of an instant family.
There are many reasons why drug use in sports should not be accepted in sports for many reasons, like; Performance enhancing drugs can be regarded in four classes: androstenedione, creatine, anabolic steroids, and ephedra alkaloids. All of these drugs are available over the counter with the exception of the anabolic steroid class (Since 1994). These nutritional supplements are no longer controlled by the FDA. As a result, there is no control over their purity, efficacy, or distribution. In fact, most of these substances market themselves to the general public as "safe" and "natural."
Incidence of anabolic steroid use among college athletes is about 1%, with another 12% considered at-risk in that they would use such drugs under the right circumstances. This study aimed to determine if volunteer drug testing, without fear of penalty, would result in positive identification of drug use, or if the testing alone is a deterrent. A group of 197 college athletes, all of whom denied drug use, voluntarily and anonymously supplied urine samples. (Average T/E ratio was 1.33 ± 0.86, with two cases (1.1%) above the accepted ratio).
Performance enhancing drugs are on the rise in high schools. Athletes hear about the pros(good things) using the drugs and they see the difference it makes, but what they don't know or don't care about are the long term effects. The effects on teenagers are similar to the effects on adults. If a teenager starts out using at this young age and constantly uses, they will never be able to stop because of the addictiveness the drug has on them.

Pressure placed on athletes to perform better. The fierce competitive nature of the modern sports' world, in combination with society's demand for excellence, has caused athletes to seek alternative means to enhance their performance. Today's athlete faces an increasingly difficult choice: to use drugs to enhance performance or to accept what could amount to a competitive handicap.
It is a choice, which carries significant ethical considerations. Should athletes be permitted to make this choice, or should society, through the sports' governing bodies strictly enforce the ban on performance enhancing drugs? Drugs and other performance enhancers do not reflect the forms of human excellence which sports are tended to honor.
The future of drug testing can serve to be an effective deterrent if money, research and cooperation contribute together with positive incentives for drug-free athletes. Modern sports competitions place little emphasis on the means when dealing with the end results. This presents itself to be a dangerous situation both for the athletes as well as for the integrity of sport.
Drug testing programs are designed to promote fair play and deter drug use among athletes. Under conditions of anonymity a group of professed non-user athletes volunteered for drug testing. Two positive results were identified indicating the importance of continued testing and need for further testing and education, as testing alone is not a sufficient deterrent to eliminate drug use among college athletes. In conclusion, drugs should be banned from all kinds of physical sports like “Football” or “Wrestling” . But efforts are being constantly being made to ensure that sports can once again be played with true sportsmanship spirit. It is for countries and participants to help in jointly maintaining the pride of participation and competition.



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