The Ethics of Steroid Use in the Olympics Essay examples

The desire to compete — and win — is as old as history itself. From the beginnings of sport, athletes have sought out foods and potions to turn their bodies into winning machines. As early as 776 BCE, the very first Olympic games, there are records of attempts to increase testosterone levels (â€Å"Steroid Abuse in Sports†). Ancient Greek wrestlers ate vast amounts of meat to gain muscle mass, and Norse â€Å"Berserker† warriors took hallucinogenic mushrooms before battle. The first competitive athletes to be charged for doping, however, were swimmers in 1860s Amsterdam. Doping of all kinds, from caffeine to cocaine to anabolics quickly spread to other sports (â€Å"Anabolic Steroids, a Brief History†). Artificial testosterone was first synthesized in†¦show more content†¦Now, athletes can be fined up to $1 million if they test positive for steroids (â€Å"Use of Steroids in Olympic Sports†). The Olympics now have various organizatio ns and committees delegated to testing for and eliminating the use of performance enhancing drugs. The most recent Olympic committee for the Games in Vancouver was partnered with the World Anti-Doping Agency, the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport, L’Institut national de la recherche scientifique — Institut Armand-Frappier, the United States Anti-Doping Agency, and LifeLabs to collect and test approximately 2450 blood and urine samples (â€Å"Anti-Doping Initiatives†). Their meticulousness and commitment was most definitely justified. Olympic athletes implicitly agree to a social contract of fair competition. Those athletes who take steroids have an unfair advantage over those who do not, and therefore these athletes are breaking this social contract. Some argue that Olympic athletes should perform at their absolute maximum potential, and steroids should be allowed if they assist in achieving this goal. A counterpoint to this argument is the constant improvemen t in measured â€Å"success†, that is Olympic record setting, in spite of the ban on steroids. Fairness is not the only issue at play. There areShow MoreRelatedThe Athletes And Professional Athletes1455 Words   |  6 Pagescommon attractions, strength and physique. In today’s society, most of the strong men are professional athletes. This range of professional athletes varies from linebackers in the NFL, who need size to tackle running backs or even baseball players who use their muscles to hit home runs over 400 feet. In order to become a great athlete, one must challenge themselves to attain a level of maximum strength. This means weight training with weights 100% to 200% of one’s total body weight roughly two or threeRead MoreWhy Performance-Enhancing Drugs Are Ruining Sports Essay1174 Words   |  5 PagesIntroduction Sports are something that everyone in the world, regardless of age, sex, or nationality, can enjoy. Whether its a child playing in his first t-ball game or a professional athlete swimming in the Olympics and everyone in between, sports can connect almost everyone. Fan support and overall devotion for athletic competition has raised professional athletes to superstars and national icons; Super Bowl Sunday is a national holiday to some, and sports are one of the largest moneymakersRead MoreThe Drawbacks Of Anabolic Steroids1384 Words   |  6 PagesThe Drawbacks of Anabolic Steroids and Why They Should Stay Illegal Anabolic steroids have been used and taken by humans for over half a century. The effects they provide have developed large ongoing debates as to whether these substances should be allowed to the general public. Anabolic steroid in short provide the human body a much grander potential to build muscle by helping the cells within the body produce more muscle fibers at an astonishing rate that could never be achieved naturally. ManyRead MorePro Doping in Sports Debate825 Words   |  4 Pagesallegedly provided by the use of steroids, along with the increased risk of harm to the alternative of less risk and worse performance, what gives anyone the right to interfere with their choice? After all, if we should not forbid smokers from risking their health by smoking, why should we prohibit track stars or weightlifters from taking risks with their health in pursuit of their goals? -Robert Simon, PhD Professor of Philosophy at Hamilton College Fair Play: The Ethics of Sport 2003 Seeking anRe ad MoreSteroids : A Lifestyle Of Cheating1639 Words   |  7 Pagesclear, beans and hype (Steroids and their). All of these words are slang for the illegal substance known more commonly as anabolic steroids and HGH, or human growth hormone. The controversy surrounding anabolic steroids and HGH in sports has stormed to the forefront of the many problems that plague America today. Anabolic steroids are synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. Steroids promote increased muscle gain and muscle mass. Steroids are also highly addictiveRead MoreA Lifestyle Of Cheating1512 Words   |  7 Pageshype (Steroids and their). All of these words are slang for the illegal substance known more commonly as anabolic steroids and HGH, or human growth hormone. The controversy surrounding anabolic steroids and HGH in sports has stormed to the forefront of the many problems that plague America today. Anabolic steroids are synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. According to Fox News,  ¬Ã‚ ¬Ã‚ ¬5% of middle school and high school aged- children have or currently use anabolicRead MoreAnabolic Steroids And Steroids Use1525 Words   |  7 Pagesbeans and hype (Steroids and their). All of these words are slang for the illegal substance known more commonly as anabolic steroids and HGH (human growth hormone). The controversy surrounding anabolic steroids and HGH in sports has stormed to the forefront of the many problems that plague America today. Anabolic steroids are synthetic chemicals that mimic the effects of the male sex hormone testosterone. Some athletes seeking increased muscular strength and size abuse anabolic steroids (Ricki Lewis)Read MoreSteroid Hormones And Its Effects On The Body2137 Words   |  9 PagesThe term steroids are defined as, One of a large group of chemical substances classified by a specific carbon structure. Steroids include drugs used to relieve swelling and inflammation, such as prednisone and cortisone; Vitamin D; and some sex hormones, such as testosterone and estradiol (medicine net, The Web). According to the medical source, Among them are male and female sex hormones, such as testosterone and estrogen. Vitamins of the D group are steroids involved in calcium metabolism. CholesterolRead MoreSteriods in Sports Essay1259 Words   |  6 Pageshelp of steroids. There is a current debate of allowing steroids to be legal in sports. Steroids should not be allowed in sports. Some people ask why. This research paper will give those people just a few of the many reasons why it should not be allowed. Through examining dangers of steroid abuse, ethics in sports, and characteristics of individuals who take and use steroids, it is evident that steroids should not be allowed in sports. First I will examine the dangers of steroid abuse. Steroids effectsRead MoreAre You Really My Hero?1216 Words   |  5 PagesProfessor Carly Smith ENGL 112 80N-N1-201420 13 December 2014 Are You Really My Hero? â€Å"Heroes have their scars. Some you can see, some you read about later on.† George Foreman Growing up we all had our dreams of winning the gold medal in an Olympic event, scoring that game winning basket, being a prize fighter, or hitting the homerun with bases loaded in a World Series. We imagined the feeling of success and glory but we also realized that few do accomplish such. Seeing such deeds are what