Legalization of Performance Enhancing Drugs in Sports - Essay Example

Mohammed Albarbari Sharon Kelly English-102 10/20/14 Legalization of Performance Enhancing Drugs (PED) in Sports The use of performance enhancing drugs (PED) in sports is so widespread that it has emerged as a matter of public interest and debate. This interest in PEDs has driven people to curiosity in an attempt to learn more facts about the drugs and their effect on human body and more so for the athletes themselves. This paper intends to discuss the use of PEDs in sports and whether they should be legalized or not. There are a number of performance enhancing drugs that are currently available in the market. Various manufactures have come up with these drugs which are intended to increase cell metabolism hence boosting the performance and achievement of the athletes. Games such as soccer, athletics, swimming and football have in one way or the other been faced by a dilemma on the issue of the performance enhancing drugs. There appears to be no single sport that has openly declared that the use of such drugs is allowed in the game. This however does not mean that the drugs are not being used as cases of their use and abuse is widely reported and documented. Presently, most sports bodies around the world have banned the use of PED in sports. Use of these banned substances is called doping. International Olympics Committee and FIFA are among the major sports bodies that have banned the use of PED in any of their competitions (Beamish 34). To determine athlete’s position on use of drugs to enhance their performance, physician and publicist Bob Goldman came up with the Goldman’s dilemma. The dilemma involves a question asking athletes if they would take a drug that guaranteed them instant success but lead to their death five years later (Robinson 32). To his surprise, at least half of the athletes said they would. They seeming had least concern of their health as opposed to competitive success. Proponents of allowing the use of PED such as steroids in sports argue that the drugs’ harmful effects on the athletes’ health have been overstated. Supporter of legalization of PED argue that efforts to ban these substances from the sporting arena are unfairly administered, overzealous, unproductive, and bound to fail (Caitlin and Murray 20). This postulation is based on the illegal use of the substance that is based on the fact that the users can still use it and engage in sports, and not get caught. Their other postulation is that drug use to enhance performance should be an athletes’ decision to make and not the authorities’ since they bear the consequences of any health repercussions or fatalities. Additionally, proponents argue that using these drugs should be embraced since it is only a part of the evolution of sports and the same as using newly developed materials to make sports equipment and competition gears which may also give athletes a false advantage (Catlin and Hatton 89). Proponents of performance enhancing drugs, as can be seen in this argument do not consider the drugs as unfair to the other competitors as they are also allowed to use whatever means that can catapult them towards more competition. The use of the drugs makes them stronger and thus makes the sports more competitive. Opponents of the drug use however have a different perspective. Their argument is that those using these drugs has a harmful health effect to the athlete’s health and are potentially fatal. According to this argument, it is common sense to make sure that anything harmful is not encourages since legalizing is similar to encouraging. A research by Khing showed that the harmful health effects of PED were numerous ranging from cancer, stroke, stunted bone growth and aggression for both men and women (21). Side effects specific to men include shrunken testicles, erectile dysfunction, reduced sperm count and irreversible breast enlargement. Women way develop a deep voice and grow excessive body hair. The most pronounced of these side effects with a high probability of lading to fatality are stroke, liver cancer and heart attacks. Psychologically, the drugs are not safe either (Coe para 2). Psychological side effects of using performance-enhancing drugs include depression, anxiety, aggression, impaired judgment and delusions. Injections using contaminated needles may also fuel the spread of HIV. Considering all the negativities mentioned, it is therefore wrong to legalize the drugs. According to Coe, one of the biggest concerns that have been raised on the issue of the performance enhancing drugs by those who are against it is the health concerns and the health implications that are associated with these drugs (para 5). The performance enhancing drugs such as steroids are said to increase cell metabolism in humans. These drugs are said to work by enhancing how the intracellular activities in the human body take place. When this continues for a long time, the cells are stretched and over worked. Coe says that the heart cells are usually the most affected cells of the body when these drugs are used (para 6). When this continues for a long time, there is the probability that the cells may fail and eventually die. This results in health complications such as high blood pressure and stroke. In some instances, the athletes are said to die instantly when the cells have been stretched way beyond their capabilities. Such concerns have seen the drugs being criticized by various stakeholders Another argument by the opponents is that using performance-enhancing drugs gives the user unfair advantage and therefore making them cheaters. Legalizing substance use may also disadvantage those from poor regions without money to buy them therefore posing an unfair advantage to the rich who can easily afford the most advanced of drugs. Additionally, opponents also argue that using drugs to excel in a competition waters the spirit of competition while sending the wrong message to children and future generations (Coe para 4). Using these drugs can unfairly diminish and water down historic achievements of legitimate athletes. This argument is based on the historical usage of performance enhancing drugs, which is minimal in records. This tends to instigate the argument that previous records were based on non-drug conditions, as drug usage was least evident and thus legitimate competition. For these reasons, the fight against legalization of PED in sports should remain high. With this said, I am for the opinion that these drugs should be banned from the sporting arena. Weighing the advantages against disadvantages, it is apparent that these drugs have copious side effects and are meant to do more harm than good (Khing 56). Putting the arguments of both the proponents as well as the opponents into consideration, the arguments against the performance enhancing drugs are more valid. These arguments are based on health, fairness and natural competition. Given the fact that in sports, humans compete against each other, it makes no sense to have some have greater capabilities than others using science. This is a personal opinion that will need to be substantiated or refuted through further research. This essay will, therefore, lead to conduction of further research to be able to come up with a conclusive argument. However, as I embark on my research I intend to pose the same question to all my participants in the way of a questionnaire. The questionnaire will comprise mainly of close ended questions and some that are based on ranks in order to make scientific analysis easy. To narrow my research, I intend to interview athletes, ordinary people and a number of people from the medical community. Completion of the paper will be easy once I acquire this data. In addition, I also intend to carry out a thorough research from outside sourced in an attempt to make more sense and a better interpretation of the results (Khing 44). The data gathered through questionnaires will be analyses using statistics software, SPSS. Using this software, it will be possible to perform regressions, correlations and further statistical tests that will eventually lead to a conclusive analysis of the data gathered. Possible challenges that I expect to encounter while doing my research include uncooperative respondents. This is due to demonization of drug use that may force the participants to give false information or refuse to cooperate altogether. There is a high likelihood that most users may not give the correct information (Caitlin, Daniel and Murray Timothy 54). The researcher will however try to overcome this by convincing the subjects on the essence of the information before the questions. Maintenance of confidentiality will be authenticated by not asking the persons to fill in their names or give any information that may lead to being known, such as records broken or held. The other challenge that I might experience is financial since the exercise may prove to be expensive and may require some outside funding. The use of performance enhancing drugs is a practice that has continued to rise despite the opposition that is has received from various quotas. Cases of athletes testing to positive to doping are always in the news. This research will therefore provide a platform that can be used to explore why the drugs should be legalized in sports. The proposed methodology allows gathering relevant information from involved stakeholders, a factor that increases the validity of the results gathered. Works Cited Beamish, Rob. Steroids: A new look at performance enhancing drugs. New York: ABC-CLIO, 2011. Print. Caitlin, Daniel and Murray Timothy. “Performance-enhancing drugs, fair competition, and Olympic sport.” JAMA 7.4(1996):231:27. Print. Catlin, Daniel and Hatton, Cate. “Use and abuse of anabolic and other drugs for athletic enhancement.” Adv Intern Med 36. 6(2011):399–424. Print. Coe, Samuel. “We Cannot Move From Strict Liability Rule. The Daily Telegraph Feb 25 2004 late ed.: A1.Web. Khing, Tony. Performance enhancing drugs in sports. New York: ABDO, 2014. Print. Robinson, Tom. Performance-Enhancing Drugs. New York: ABDO, 2010.Print. Read More