The Impact of Performance Enhancing Drugs on Sports Essay

The Impact of Performance Enhancing Drugs on Sports One of the major issues in the news recently has been the use of performance enhancing substances in sports. This topic has been the subject of many front-page headlines in many publications, from sports magazines to newspapers. A recent scandal involving a San Francisco Bay Area laboratory, BALCO Laboratories, has brought this issue to the forefront, and its really gotten a lot of attention because this case has led to a 42 count federal indictment by the U.S. Attorney General.[1] Another question can be asked as well: Should these performance-enhancing substances be allowed in sports? First of all, what exactly are performance-enhancing substances? They are just what they†¦show more content†¦Late that summer, a bottle of androstenedione, a steroid that is produced by the body but is considered a banned substance by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, was found in McGwire?s locker. Because Major League Baseball did not consider androstenedione a banned substance, he could use it without penalty, but questions were raised about the legitimacy of any records he may have set. The other problem regarding androstenedione is the lack of testing that has been performed on it.[4] The Problems with Steroids What are the problems with steroid use? First, one needs to understand why steroids are used to begin with. The main reason why athletes take steroids, as mentioned above, is to increase muscle mass and endurance while training for or participating in a sport. One might ask, ?Don?t they test athletes to make sure they don?t use them In some cases, sports agencies do. For example, the United States Olympic Committee, in their publication Selected National Anti-Doping Policies, they list when tests are to be administered and what the regulations are for each type of drug and for each sport.[5] However, the problem that faces drug testers are what are known as designer drugs, or drugs that are made to avoid showing up on a drug test. What is an even bigger problem is how easy it is to modify substances normally found in the body into a substance that can beShow MoreRelatedElite Athletes and Performance Enhancing Drugs1817 Words   |  7 PagesElite Athletes: An Asset or Liabilit y to Sports? Many elite athletes are under great pressure to perform exceptionally well they often times resort to using performance-enhancing drugs to stay competitive. The path to success as an athlete is not an easy track; it is fierce! 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