Allowing Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports - Essay Example

The World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) justifies the need for combating the misuse of drugs in sports on the basis that the misuse of drugs runs against the spirit of sports that are enshrined in the values of “ethics, fair play and honesty; health; performance excellence; character and education; fun and joy; dedication and commitment; respect for rules and laws; respect for self and other participants; courage; and community and solidarity. (3).

            In contrast to this, the call for allowing the use of performance-enhancing drugs revolves around two main themes. The first theme is that the fine ideals of sports as enshrined by WADA are no longer a working model. The misuse of drugs like steroids has become pervasive in sports, for according to Savulescu, Faddy & Clayton, 2004, p. 666, “the lure of success is great, but the penalties small”. (4).

The first part of this argument brings into focus the role that money is playing in the field of sports. How did this state of affairs come about? Professionalism in sports is at the root of it. In 1986 the International Olympic Committee changed its rules to allow professional athletes to compete on the justification that all the great male and female athletes needed to be part of the Olympics. The consequence has been the increased use of performance-enhancing drugs at the Olympics, whereby the enhanced quality of the Olympics has been marred by doping scandals. (5). An allowance made for improving the quality of the sport has been the cause of its decline.

Cheating is a human failing and the lure of fame and money in sports is great anis d so there is no way to control it, runs an extension of this argument. (4). Human society has many failings human society has endeavored to keep these failings in check to the maximum possible. Let us follow the transfer of this case scenario to the other areas of social activity. Just because we have not been able to eradicate robbery and rape in society, let us make it an acceptable practice. In short, let’s throw all our social morals and social responsibility down the drain. This is why the Medical Director of WADA, Alan Garnier, 2006, stresses that allowing doping in sports is “not simply absurd; it is morally wrong and irresponsible”. (6).

Society looks upon sports as the means to developing strength of character and observation of rules and regulation among several other qualities valuable to society. By allowing the misuse of drugs in sports the character of society is weakened with the ends justifying the means, hardly making for a morally stronger society. (7). By allowing steroids to be used in sports neither do the sports person gain nor does society, for according to Garnier, 2006, “to encourage doping may be beneficial for their promoters, but not for sport and athlete health” (6).

The second theme in the argument for allowing doping in sports is that it levels the playing field. The argument that by allowing performance-enhancing drugs in the sports field the playing field will get leveled and thereby enables athletes from even poor countries to perform well in sports is a pipe dream that only works to the contrary. In the opinion of Garnier, 2006, “to accept doping would allow the use of economic resources and scientific expertise to decide competition, and only those with access to those resources and expertise would win”. (6).

One final aspect that needs consideration is the ruin of the health of the sports sportspersons the misuse of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids. There is awareness and concern over the health risks associated with the misuse of performance-enhancing drugs. (2).

Conclusion:

            In conclusion, there is no basis for any argument to allow the use of performance-enhancing drugs like steroids in sports. For, if we do that, we would be spelling the demise of sports as we know it.  “It would mean the end of merit for athletes. It would mean that prizes and medals would no longer be awarded to athletes but pharmaceutical companies and research teams”. (6).