Should NFL Athletes Be Able to Use Anabolic Steroids? Essay Example

The debate over the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs has increased and taken a newfound over the last one decade. The opposing sides do not agree on the use of steroids in athletic. Specifically, Anabolic steroids are artificial substances that arouse proteins that assist to build the non-fat muscle mass, to assist the participant to become sturdier and able to play and train for a long period without tiring. Notably, reports have revealed that the number of baseball and athletes who use these enhancing drugs have increased where they described it as widespread act. The proponents of steroid use say that it is very hypocritical for the society to employ and encourage consumers to use certain drugs to treat other ailments but deny the same drugs to increase performance in sports yet the steroids have little health effects when taken in correct amounts. On the other hand, the proponents dispute that the use of steroids has adverse health effects and should not be legalized in sports. While the two groups have substantive evidence to ground their arguments, just like any other drug, it is unfair for the athletes to use any drug enhancement since they offer an added advantages to the users that are unfair for non-users, therefore, the use of steroids should be banned in sports.

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In an attempt to seek for public perception on the use of steroids, a debate on "We should accept performance-enhancing drugs in competitive sports" was carried in the United States. Before the debate, about 18% percent of the audience accepted the use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs in sports. On the other hand, 63 percent of the audience opposed the use of such drugs while 19 percent were undecided (Fogel, 2012). However, after the debate, thirty-seven percent of the audience accepted the use of the drugs while Fifty-nine percent opposed the proposition. Still, 4 percent of the audiences were undecided. Following that statistics, it is obvious that people who include great fans of athletes do not want the participants to use such performance enhancing drugs. It is for this reason that it should be banned since it not accepted by the society due to several reasons.

One of the reasons steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs should not be allowed is the adverse health and injuries they have on individuals. Particularly, steroids enhance aggressiveness and provide extra energy to the users. Specifically, the consumers of the drugs suffer more disc injuries and herniation on their elbows, knees, feet, toes, and spines (Reardon & Creado, 2014). According to the study carried by Moran (2014), twenty-one percent of athletes who used the drug suffered herniation compared to ten percent of individuals who did not use the drugs. In the same study, it was found that nearly thirty-one percent of the users hurt their elbows and feet as compared to 17 percent of the non-users. Notably, that damage may begin from their cartilage acclimatizing slowly to the augmented muscle growth and compel generated by the drugs, or from the superior mass and stress applied on their ligaments and cartilage, as per the study (Fogel, 2012). Moreover, concussions have shown to have long-lasting consequences on football players. According to Reardon and Creado (2014), the injuries that may be caused by the drug at times may force the users to miss some of the important events due to sickness. As such, although it may be of benefit at certain points, the long-term health effects of steroids and other performance enhancement drug can jeopardize the future of athletes.

Additionally, steroids offer an added advantage to the users that are absent to non-users. It is important to note that the athletes do not take the drugs to level their play in the field, but they take such drugs to have an added advantage over other players. According to Morse (2013), one of the most important functions of steroid is to provide extra energy and become aggressive. In this regard, users are likely to win all the competition not because they are better than others but because they have boosted their energy using the drug; this is very unfair to other players. Morse (2013) notes that competition should be won fairly, and ones characteristics and talents should be the only weapon to do so. On the same note, the fact that steroids have an added advantage, players want to use it excessively in the name of extra energy. As such, instead of using ten grams, they will start taking 40-50 grams of steroids. The result of such activities will be a game of increased violence, extremely and meaningless since participants do not use their own effort, and the presence of mutant genetic gladiators. Therefore, the use of such drugs is not accidental; it is a well-planned strategy whose sole purpose is to have an added advantage over others.

Use of steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs does not respect the rule of sports which should recognize the natural talents of individuals. Although the proponents argue that even gym gives an extra energy to players and should be stopped, it is important to note that the process of the gym is natural just like physical exercises that athletes undergo. One of the rules of athletes is to stop anything artificial that would bring unequal advantage. For example, the best had banned goaltending or swatting just as the ball is about to go to the hoop. This particularly applied to very tall players who could stop the ball from getting into the hoop when they were directed by the opponents. Specifically, the rule was to give fair treatment to both tall and short players. Same way, steroids should be stopped since it does not respect the rule of the sport. Therefore, through the use of these drugs fans and other players are likely to lose the most graceful, admirable, beautiful aspect of the sport.

Use of performance enhancement drugs replaces the role of skill with chemically induced strength. Remarkably, to the degree that the public sees that a performance enhancing drug (PED) lessens the role of skill and talent and substitutes it by chemically made brute endurance and strength; it is probable to lack interest in certain aspects of sports and athlete in which it is used. The death of professional leagues is caused by the harm that is primarily financial. Furthermore, Sporting events will continue largely be used as tests of opponents access to better pharmaceutical technology know-how and the ability of their bodies to consume these chemicals in a good manner. Strategy, skill and efforts have an important function as an athlete to succeed. Bodily changes and adaptation, pharmaceutical technology, in addition, have an important role. People are interested in science trade fair and exhibits, but they do not want to show this in themselves because they want sporting activities to be a fully distinct thing. Sports should be viewed as an activity whereby the success of the athlete is measured by his/her qualities.

Steroids are bought on the blank market, and this is another challenge facing their consumption. It was until 1990 when a Congress passed an Anabolic Steroid Control Act hitherto it was not hard to acquire steroids for instance if one was a doctor. The Act made 27 anabolic steroids under the control of substances with the name Silverstein 54. High penalties accrue to controlled substances that are why many doctors will not attempt to give a prescription to footballer players especially the average ones in high school. The black market remains the only place where one can gain access to steroids. 100 to 400 million dollars of steroids get way in the United States of America annually which is a high figure (James, 8). Black market products are not in any way regulated or meet any market standards, and this makes steroids very harmful for human consumption. Steroids contain harmful impurities that are ingested in the body. Some situation arises when some people use a very different kind of steroid cortisone or the animal steroid without the knowledge of the wrong steroid was given (Silverstein 44). In some instances, contamination of steroid can result in allergic reactions that are deadly in nature. It is the mandate of the black market to make a clear decision concerning determent of a potential user of steroids.

Lastly, the use of steroids does not preserve what is fundamentally valuable about the sport that is often referred to as the spirit of the sport. According to Morse (2013), the spirit is the celebration of the human body, spirit, and mind. The values mentioned above are what the antidoping rules seek to prevent and bar everybody that uses drugs to boost their energy while competing. However, as a matter of fact, the use steroids go against the ant-doping rules hence should be banned. Specifically, the spirit of sport that is enhancing performance drugs violate is characterized by fun and joy, ethics, honesty and fair play, dedication and commitment, respect for laws and rules, respect for other participants and self, solidarity and community, and character and education. In general, enhancing performance drugs are fundamentally contrary to the spirit of the sport.

Following the discussion, it suffices that steroids and other performance-enhancement should not be used in supports. One of the reasons they should be banned is the fact that they have adverse medical effects that may avert athletes from participating in the future competition. Secondly, such drugs give other employees an added advantage; hence, unfair competition. Moreover, Use of steroids and other performance enhancing drugs does not respect the rule of sports which should recognize the natural talents of individuals. Additionally, Use of performance enhancement drugs replaces the role of skill with chemically induced strength.

References

Fogel, C. (2012). Steroid Use, Football, and Catastrophic Injuries: The Paradox of Performance-Enhancing Drug Use. Studies in Sociology of Science, 3(1), 12-16.

Matthews, K. R., & Cuchiara, M. L. (2014). US National Football League Athletes Seeking Unproven Stem Cell Treatments. Stem cells and development, 23(S1), 60-64.

Moran, M. (2014). Drug Use and Abuse in Sport.Morse, E. D. (2013). 1 substance Use in Athletes.Reardon, C. L., & Creado, S. (2014). Drug abuse in athletes. Substance abuse and rehabilitation, 5, 95.