Substance Abuse In Sports

As an athlete of the twentieth century the issue of substance abuse comes up a lot and has really gotten my attention and I spend a lot of time reading and thinking about it. There are many different opinions out there but I have formed my beliefs strongly with a solid background on the topic and feel confident in my views.

Athletics continue to be completely ruined by the widespread use of performance enhances drugs or foreign substances. They are used throughout the world of sports in nearly every country and in nearly every sport. It really is sad that the purest form of mans competition is being destroyed by people using these substances to get an edge. Nothing is more true than beating somebody 'fair and square' but when drugs are thrown into the mix no longer is and victory 'fair and square.' Key ideals of sport include that the result should not be predetermined, and that both sides should have equal opportunity to win. Rules are in place to ensure that fair play occurs, but participants often break these rules in order to gain advantages. The competitive nature of sport often encourages some participants to attempt to enhance their performance through the use of medicines, or through other artificial means. In order to become a successful or professional athlete years and years of hard work and determination are necessary; it is a lifelong dedication.

Many athletes are heroes to their fans and a great deal of young people. They are admired and idolized by kids who want to grow up and be just like them one day. Therefore, when a person has earned so much from their athletic career including things like, titles, awards, records, and fans, is later found to be cheating all of the good things are completely erased by the bad. In cases like Barry Bonds he will never be remembered as the homerun king of baseball but rather as the cheater who used artificial substances to get there. No matter what circumstance breaking the rules and lying by means of cheating are never acceptable and should never be done. Many factors play into the reasons or motives for cheating but those do not justify the act of doing it. The upbringing of our children today is going to affect the society of tomorrow. This is why cheating should not be tolerated and always be dealt with seriously. The acting of cheating breaks all of the character values, honesty, caring, respect, and responsibility, that are important to what makes a good person. If things like substance abuse and the use of performance enhancing drugs are viewed as okay it will not only harm today's society but also the society of the future.