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Brady Garris

Professor Kelleher

EN 102-019

9 March 2018

Steroids in Sports

Steroids should be banned in all major sports because it destroys the beauty of the game.

Using Performance Enhancing Drugs is cheating and there is no way around it. Fans do not want

to see the best athlete science can build, but what a person can build of themselves. These

articles will show insight on many different views on steroids in sports. The insight may be

physical use or a mental approach to why players use enhancement drugs.

Austin, Mike. "Doping Destroys Traditional Sports Values." Doping, edited by Margaret

Haerens, Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in

Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010907216/OVIC?u=tusc49521&xid=c60b4dc7.

Accessed 28 Feb. 2018. Originally published as "Doping, Sport, and the Pursuit of

Excellence,", 2012.

Mike Austin, a professor of philosophy at Eastern Kentucky University, addresses the

view of Performance Enhancing Drugs from a Christian’s perspective. Austin argues that

sport is something an athlete can express their love of God for. He calls for not only

spiritual, but also moral people to reject athletes that dope. One of Austin’s viewpoints is

that sport is treated as war and the athletes can sometimes fail to see the other competitors

as humans, but as enemies. This also includes winning at any costs which involves
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cheating. The other viewpoint is that some people view sports as just for fun which is

misguiding. Sport teaches outstanding characteristics that are needed for the future such

as arduous work and perseverance. Fans want athletes to be humble after victory whether

that be to their family, team, or even religion. When players use steroids, they take away

that humbleness. Austin views athletes who use steroids are weak and unethical. These

characteristics go against the Christian view which include, following the rules and being

open and not self-centered. I will use this article to express a Christian’s view on sports.

This is because Christians as well as other religious people are lovers of sports and if

steroids are eventually if sports incorporate steroids then views may go down.

Hruby, Patrick. "Doping Provides an Unfair Advantage." Doping, edited by Margaret Haerens,

Greenhaven Press, 2014. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010907217/OVIC?u=tusc49521&xid=7118c7e1.
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Accessed 28 Feb. 2018. Originally published as "Why Wouldn't NBA Players Use

PEDs?" Sports on Earth, 15 Feb. 2013.

Patrick Hruby, a specialist in sports and social issues, takes a viewpoint on the use of

Performance Enhancement Drugs in the game of basketball. Hruby argues that the use of

PEDs in basketball does help athletes. Others have argued that in the game of basketball,

steroids would hurt players more than help. It is argued that steroids are used for power

and endurance sports such as baseball and cycling. However, Hruby states that athletes in

fact do have the same benefits of PEDs as other athletes do. The use of steroids helps

recuperate muscles much quicker which allow athletes to train longer and perform better.

It also helps tissue repairs boost their endurance by bringing more oxygen to the muscles.

However, the National Basketball Association does not drug test their athletes nearly as

much as other sports do. He states that the old commissioner of the NBA, David Stern,

believed he did not think steroids were a problem at the time. His statement is even

backed up by other known basketball figures. Even though, multiple figures deny the use

of PEDs in the NBA it is quite possible that many players still do it due to the small

amount of drug tests in the season. Patrick Hruby provides splendid views on why

steroids in the NBA are overlooked. NBA athletes can benefit from steroids just as much

as a baseball player or cyclist time. Hruby also provides insight on why the NBA does

not address the use of steroids. I will use this article to show why steroids can hurt an

entire league due to negligence about an issue that could destroy the sport.

Mumford, Stephen. "The Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs Is Cheating." Performance-

Enhancing Drugs, edited by Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2015. Opposing

Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

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http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010934206/OVIC?u=tusc49521&xid=146e008b.

Accessed 28 Feb. 2018. Originally published as "Why Cheat?" Philosophers Magazine,

vol. 61, 2013.

In this article, metaphysics professor, Stephen Mumford, argues that the use of

performance-enhancing drugs is essentially opting out of the sport. Mumford also argues

that the means of being an athlete means accepting the rules of the sport and not cheating

your way to the top. Mumford also states that this does not only occur in sport, but also in

education. The problem with competing in a sport is that you must accept the

inefficiencies of the sport. Without rules, the sport is not possible. Mumford’s final

argument is that if we were to reach point where the value of winning outweighs the

meaning of it, then society is doomed for more cheating. Mumford, author of Watching

Sport, has a great insight on a society look at cheating in sports and how it can hurt the

game as well as the athlete. I will use the article to show that when athletes choose to use

steroids, they are breaking away from the game.

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Olivier, Steve. "Banning Performance-Enhancing Drugs Is Justified." Drugs and Sports, edited

by William Dudley, Greenhaven Press, 2001. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010183210/OVIC?u=tusc49521&xid=b1326210.

Accessed 28 Feb. 2018. Originally published as "Drugs in Sports: Justifying Paternalism

on the Grounds of Harm," American Journal of Sports Medicine, 1996.

In this article Steve Oliver, a Professor of Sport and Exercise Science, argues that steroids

in sports are bad because of two reasons. The first reason is that taking steroids is

cheating. Many viewers in sports agree that steroids do not belong in sports. Oliver

argues that the use of steroids is cheating and the common man would agree to keep them

banned. Steroid usage is not only illegal within terms of the sport, but also moral

dishonesty. The moral dishonesty goes against the heart and integrity of the sport. Oliver

follows this argument, but focuses on the use of steroids and how harmful they can be to

the user. The counter-argument stated is athletes should be able to do whatever they want

to their own body. Steroids can seriously impact a person’s health by making them

stronger and a better performer. Although, the side-effects are extremely harmful to the

user. Some people argue that athletes have a right to do what they want to their own

body. Why should it be illegal for someone to be the best that they can be by any means

necessary. Well, this is because if steroids are made legal then athletes may only see the

positive impacts of steroids and not the downside. Athletes may only want to achieve the

absolute best that they can be with the help of steroids. The use of steroids has a huge

downfall that could possibly end in death in some cases. Another reason for no steroids is

that children look to athletes as role models and if they see their favorite players using

steroids they may do the same. Steve Oliver provides a magnificent view of steroids from
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an “if they were legal standpoint” rather than just why they should be illegal. I will use

this article to show why steroids are harmful to not only the athletes who use them, but

also children who look up to them.

Will, George F. "Steroids Are Destroying Baseball." Steroids, edited by Laura K. Egendorf,

Greenhaven Press, 2006. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010376204/OVIC?u=tusc49521&xid=97db2e9f.

Accessed 28 Feb. 2018. Originally published as "Steroids Scandal Is Damaging to

Baseball," Conservative Chronicle, 15 Dec. 2004, p. 25.

In this article, George F. Will, a frequent author of books about baseball, argues that the

use of Performance Enhancing Drugs kills the game of baseball. He argues that athletes

who use steroids do not understand the value of winning because they cheat to win. Will

claims that until now, baseball has been the same over the many years that it has been a

sport. He states if you were to place a fan from two centuries ago that they would notice

the same game being played. Will also feels as if that many of the athletes who use

steroids do not want to do them, but only because they put their career in risk by losing a

spot on the roster or also hurting their health. Will’s final claim is that many baseball fans

will see Hank Aaron will be the all-time homerun leader over Barry Bonds’ steroid

corrupted stats. George F. Will, a political columnist for the Washington Post, provides a
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great argument on why steroids are bad for the sport, but also has insight on why players

use them. This article has a magnificent view on steroids in sports by using the biggest

sport for Performance Enhancing Drugs. I will use this article in my essay to further my

research on why steroids in sports is bad because in baseball it is widely used. I will use

this to show why it is bad, but some need enhancements because they want to continue to

play.

In conclusion, the usage of steroids in sport may provide us with the best athletes,

but the downside is way too harmful. Although, it would be entertaining to see baseball

players hit ten home runs a game or golfers hit 400 plus yards on every drive, but it

would be awful to see these players get addicted and hurt themselves in the process.

Steroids are harmful to the people that use them. They also hurt the meaning of the sport:

true competition and determination. Sport provides a means of getting away for fans. We

as fans love our teams and want to see the best performers for bragging rights. The use of

steroids takes away the fun out of the game because it takes away the meaning of the

game. Sport provides a way of learning real life lessons that they cannot learn anywhere

else. If we allow steroids to be used in sport then people lose the lessons that we used to

learn from the sport. Steroids should never be allowed in sports because we will

eventually lose the true meaning of the sport.