Doping in Sports (Op-Ed)

The word doping refers to the use of illegal enhanceable drugs. When combining doping and

sports you can transform a regular athlete into a super star. This is the prime reason athlete

choose to take these illegal substances. There are five divisions of banned drugs, the most

common are stimulants and hormones. These drugs not only have enhancing powers but, harmful

effects on the users body as well.

The use of hormones and stimulants to gain strength have been dated back to Ancient

Greece however, illegal restrictions came in 1920 and in 1928 the IAAF became the first

international sports agency to ban doping. Doping has become evident in the 21st century with

the worlds most renowned athletes using the illegal drugs. Ranging from the most known cyclist

in the world to a rookie in the NFL. With all the information, and debate known about

performance enhancing drugs this raises questions about whether the drug is really worth the

effects it has on the user. Mainly put, these illegal drugs have the potential to alter the human

body and and biological functions that make your athletic ability. Examples include delaying

puberty, high and low levels of testosterone, muscle-wasting diseases, and organ failure.

On the argument against the use of these drugs the top reason is the unfair advantage it

gives the athlete. Athletes using the enhancing drugs gain a foreign substance on top of their

athletic ability to perform not the same playing field as their opponents but, instead at a much

higher standpoint leaning in their direction. Examples go into the 2012 Olympics, where Alysia

Johnson Montano was stripped of her place on the podium because two Russian track runners
used steroids to better both their performs providing them each a medal. Arguments arose when

the question became should Montano be rewarded a medal and the two Russians stripped of

theres.

So why is it that doping is not clearly seen as illegal, and wrong? Obviously, athletes are

using this to gain an advantage. Realizing this organizations such as World Anti-doping agency

have taken initiative to promote, coordinate, and monitor at the international level to help fight

against doping in all its forms. This in hope will help put a stop to these illegal drugs and

hopefully stop the use starting from high school to the Olympic level.