Readers Respond: Should Performance Enhancing Drugs Be Allowed in Sports?

The debate over drugs in sports generates strong feelings on both sides. Some argue that these drugs are dangerous and provide an unfair competitive advantage. Others argue that it's hypocritical to allow some supplements and ban others and this trend is a natural outcome of science and technology. They argue that we should just accept it as an inevitable part of sports and stop trying to regulate it.

What do you think? What Do You Think?

si

they really should let you. I think it should be allowed, just like they do with drinking and driving --put a limit on what kinds you can take and how much you can use. That is just my opinon though

—Guest pac0

Support PEDs

Some of the best athletes of the past that we admire were probably using some sort of enhancement. Lets face it, the human race strives to do one thing, and that is be the best at any cost.

—Guest yoyo

Why not?

If PEDs are legalized we will see that big time college and professional sports are all a big farce. Performances will go off the charts and fans will desert them in droves. Then maybe we can start all over and get it under contra cuz it's all about money and if there are no restrictions it will be like pro wrestling. GOOD BYE astronomical TV contracts.

—Guest Guest 2013

Egilbert

What some sports governing bodies consider "doping" shows their ignorance of what is nutrition. For example the UIL forbid high school athletes from taking glucosamine a few years ago, which would actually guard fast growing adolescent athletes from injury to their stressed joints/growth plates. My child took it anyway since I felt I understood nutrition better than the UIL and was one of the very few who didn't suffer an injury. Some things considered doping now, will likely be standard age prevention in the future.

—Guest Egilbert

Drugs

It's done with all athletes even horses I say no to artificial drugs but they will still keep doing it .

—Guest Esther

Yes but it's complicated

First of all, there is a huge area about steroid use in sports that most people are uninformed about. I don't do steroids but I do know a people who do them and fight on an amateur/professional level. Don't be fooled if you think that steroids alone will take you to the top. At a low level of competition they sure can do that, but to be one of the best in the world you CAN NOT make it on PEDs alone. You need to have everything: good genetics, a sharp mind, and a will of iron. The TOP athletes train harder than anybody. Steroids will give them the ability to reach the very next level and be able to do it consistently and actually (if used properly) extend their careers. I know some guys that are taking steroids that will never make it out of the lower tier because they are mentally weak and can't push themselves to their limits. I believe that maybe if they made PEDs safer that they should slowly legalize certain substances. That way we can cut the BS and let the playing field be even

—Guest John Bui

Maybe.

Should these substances be treated the same way as alcoholic beverages,with legal limits?

—Guest Mark

yes

they should allow it.. its not cheating there are already players using PED's as we speak. its their bodies, they will do what they want with them. so why not allow it in sports?? all they wanna do is be better at what they love to do. if you have a problem with it then so be it. but if you were in their shoes and you wanted to get better and win then im sure a lot of us will do the same thing.

—Guest ap

No.

Using steroids and other drugs will just cheat the athlete and their true talent. Nobody should enhance their performance with drugs. I love sports and I respect the players, and if I found out a player was using performance enhancing drugs, I would lose total respect for that player.

—Guest Ramsay11

No

I agree with G-d2d, if they need PEDS, they don't need the sport. Plus, how do you know if it is their REAL talent and not some other stupid thing like PEDS or other meds? And like G-ruby said, fans LOVE these people. What if they found out if they were idolizing some drug-addict? Oops! There goes your reputation! An athlete is paid millions to play, so if they're using drug, that means they are being paid to be a drug addict. PEDS have absolutely NO use for athletes or anyone else in sports.

—Guest Graystripe

Without medical indication

Not at all! I beleive that every drug has a medical - therapeutic indication as well as many adverse effects and using it as a performance enhancing drug poses in danger athlets' health.

—Guest Panagiotis Georgakopoulos

Consider the double standards

Well, we give injectable anabolic hormones/steroids to million dollar racehorses to aid their recovery, and it's all quite legal. The problem lies with using multiple drugs and excessive dosage. Regarding Armstrong, he has been the most frequently tested athlete in history with the French particularly out to get him, but to no avail. It just was not scientifically possible to escape detection when during the Tour de France, he was tested virtually every day, so, at least during that period he was clean.

—Guest Dr.K.Hall

NO

even though sports are a game it is dumb do drugs -- the drugs make you not yourself!

—Guest me

No

It's unfair to the those playing by the rules. And in in the end, if they all start to use (performance-enhancing drugs) sport won't be about who is the best, it will be about who uses the best drug.

—Guest LIz

Summary

The use of performance-enhancing drugs is widely seen as a unethical method of competition in sporting events. That's probably why they ban it in major sports. Yes, athletes have the freedom of doing anything with their bodies, however they should also take into consideration the future consequences and side effects of the drugs. It is a form of cheating, because they are not competing with their own skills, instead they participate with an "assistance" in order to maximize what they already have. Medically speaking, some steroids are used as treatment for certain diseases. To use this as an excuse if you are an athlete is low. First of all, athletes of unhealthy status are not allowed to participate. That's the general rule. But I don't control the opinion of the public. I just merely wrote here what I think.

—Guest missR