Climactic Impact Connecting Illegal Performance Enhancing Drugs, Athletes And Sports

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During this research the link connecting illegal performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) and athletes in sports is described, with relevant argument points for and against illegal performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) in sport. Throughout, 17 studies were analysed from 2002 to 2020. Multiple illegal performance enhancing drugs are described with detailed information surrounding the impact on sport and athletes. However, ethical issues enclosing the impact of illegal performance enhancing drugs (PED’s) are highlighted with sporting examples.

Main Body

Performance enhancing drug’s (PED’s) are commonly used to establish a competitive dominance over an opponent. PED’s are widely used by non-competitive weightlifters, adverse side effects of PED’s are massively underappreciated. There is a wrongful misinterpretation of illegal PED’s being safe or that the side effects are controllable (Pope, 2014). Likewise, (PED’s) can predominantly create massive health risks. PED’s can develop issues with the heart, vessels connecting major organs to the heart and metabolism over time. PED’s can allow athletes to outrun their body’s potential, leading to massive consequences such as exercise-induced arrhythmias. These specific arrhythmias are irregular heartbeats created from intense exercise, severe cases can lead to death (La Gerche, 2017).

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Throughout this section the researcher will describe the negative impact PED’s have on an individual’s health alongside what athletes believe they can gain from PED. Various athletes take anabolic steroids, which are used to increase muscle growth around the body alongside a reduction of body fat. Therefore, this enhances the athlete’s performance as they are able to develop a physical advantage over others. Anabolic steroids are highly addictive and can lead to severe health issues. Men are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer due to increased testosterone around the body can lead to death. Heart attacks alongside strokes are common with the overuse of anabolic steroids (‘Anabolic steroid misuse’, 2020). Numerous athletes take advantage of diuretics, this drug increases an individual’s urine output. Athletes use diuretics in order to help PED’s last for longer, as they are presuming the PED’s will become diluted. Due to the body losing so much liquid some major side effects are very common. These include blood pressure which can severely drop, depriving the body from oxygen causing damage to the heart and brain. Increasing the amount of red blood cells around the body is known as blood doping. Many athletes partake in this process as it provides the muscles and lungs with more oxygen. Erythropoietin is the most common way to blood dope, erythropoietin is prescribed by doctors to individuals that don’t develop enough red blood cells around their body. Endurance athletes are more commonly known to take erythropoietin as they believe they can perform for longer with more oxygen. Overuse of erythropoietin can lead to blood clots and death. Lance Armstrong was stripped of his tour de France titles after being found guilty of blood doping (‘Performance Enhancers: The Safe and the Deadly’, 2020). Ephedrine has a powerful impact on cells around the body, which is therefore used by performance athletes as it can increase the demand of skeletal muscle contractions leading to an extensive impact on performance. Individuals metabolism is affected as ephedrine becomes an advantageous tool in controlling fat burning and energy needs throughout performance. Ephedrine creates considerable danger on the cardiovascular system leading to an increased risk of strokes (‘Why Do Athletes Use Ephedra? – Weight-Loss’, 2020). Everyone can produce Human growth Hormone (HGH) although some individuals less than others. Many athletes abuse HGH as it can further develop growth in both bones and muscles. Overuse of HGH can lead to enlarged organs and chronic disease (‘Performance Enhancers: The Safe and the Deadly’, 2020).

Further Arguments against PED’s being beneficial are developed throughout. In relation to PED’s, J Logan suggests that there should be a zero-tolerance policy against steroid use in sport. Athletes who don’t chose to use illegal PED’s are at a massive disadvantage, most athletes will decide at some point that they will start to use illegal PED’s as they feel threatened by those who have already began the process of illegal PED’s. This leading to their being less natural talent progressing to the elite level of sports. Many children look up to professional athletes as their idols. If children overlook their idols taking steroids, this will wrongly encourage children to take steroids. Children will understand that the best way to achieve a great career will be to take steroids. Allowing the use of steroids with only minor consequences, only encourages future athletes and children to experiment with these PED’s (Logan, 2010). PED’s are justifiably banned in sports due to their negative output on an athlete’s health. The world anti-doping agency decided that athletes should be performing sports naturally rather than being enhanced by PED’s during performances. PED’s can encourage and motivate athletes to over train with high intensity’s which can lead to fatigue and acute injuries (Loland, 2018).

This section will provide an insight into the beliefs and benefits of PED’s alongside explanation of why athletes chose to use PED’s. Gleaves argues, PED’s could lead to large comprehensive improvements by athletes in sport. A significant improvement in athlete’s performances and results could benefit coaching and equipment in a positive manor. Coaches would have to develop their styles and techniques in order to keep up with the faster developing athletes. Such as jump shots in basketball or swerve shots in football, these skills would have to be developed further massively. Coaches play the biggest role in helping athletes develop these skills further which would be needed to win games and titles. Alongside this, equipment would need to be developed further, such as football boot technology as well as new basketball shoes helping and allowing athletes to jump higher off the ground (Gleaves, 2010). Only a small minority of individuals are professional athletes. Doping being legalised can lead to more sensible use of drugs in widespread sport as this would boost more rational use of drugs in amateur sports. Leading to a decrease in the rate of death and chronic illness regarding doping in sport (Kayser, 2005). On the other hand, the difference between winning and losing at the highest level of any sport in the most recent times, can be multimillion-pound salaries. Likewise, monumental pressure is being added to athletes as these salaries increase they are being forced into a mindset of “win at all costs”. Therefore, athletes are always looking for new ways to gain a competitive advantage over their opponents. In a survey completed by Joseph Congeni, he found that, 98% of future Olympic competitors that he surveyed would most definitely use or consider using an illegal PED. More than 50% agreed they would use illegal PED’s, if it would benefit them to gain a competitive advantage over opponents over a 5-year time scale, even if this led to early death (Congeni, 2002). Elite level athletes are predominately turning to illegal PED’s, most commonly steroids. Steroids are used by elite athletes to enhance their natural talent, to make them an overall better performing athlete. Steroids allow athletes to develop their physical performance, leading to athletes being able to overpower and dominate their opponents who aren’t using PED’s. By doing this they become more recognised within their sport, leading to them being able to increase their salaries and receive further endorsements (Logan, 2010).

A massive ethical issue surrounding illegal PED’s, relates to the consequences and bans in place for athletes which use these illegal PED’s. Many argue that the bans currently in place invade athlete’s privacy and that they should be loosened. Others suggest that bans should be further restricted, and a stricter approach should be taken with each athlete who is found guilty (Hong, 2007). The athlete can receive a ban of up to four years, if found guilty of cheating by using illegal performance enhancing drugs. Multi doping volitions can lead to bans beyond 4 years. However, in any other circumstances an athlete can receive only a two-year ban, if they are able to prove themselves not responsible for the actions taken (‘Consequences of Doping | UK Anti-Doping’, 2020). In 2015 a tennis superstar – Maria Sharapova, was found guilty of using meldonium. An illegal PED which alternates the individual’s metabolism, the drug can dilate blood vessels leading to an increase in blood flow around the body. Allowing the athlete to have improved physical endurance throughout performance. Maria was firstly banned from all competitive play for 2 years due to her case being made more complicated as she later stating she was using the drug for health reasons, so was later reduced to a 15-month ban. Other athletes stated she was definitely using the drugs to enhance her performance and not for health reasons. After the 15 months passed Maria was allowed straight back into the elite tournament in Germany. A vast amount of Maria’s competitors rightfully argued that she is a cheater and therefore shouldn’t be allowed back into elite level sport. Likewise, others argued that it sends a wrongful message towards the future generations of the sport (‘Doping athletes raises broader ethical issues’, 2020).

A second ethical issue is the severe health risks linked towards PED’s in sport. As technology’s and science are forever improving, the risks of newly advanced drugs are unknown. The risks faced in the future could be catastrophic towards sports, if not correctly dealt with (‘BBC – Ethics – Sporting Ethics: Against Legalisation’, 2020).

Dr. Gordon highlights the facts that over time athletes who abuse anabolic steroids become victims of thickened blood that can lead to slower blood flow around the body. This can lead to severe health problems such as heart attacks, strokes and blood clots. Anabolic steroids are currently a banned PED in sport. Other researchers continue to argue the all the imaginable advantages to illegal PED’s. Commonly mentioned is the increased testosterone level around the body which develops muscles, improves cognitive skills and improves positive feeling of overall well-being (Frank, 2020). In 1991, Lyle Alzado one of the most aggressive hitters in NFL of his time. Concluded that his abuse of anabolic steroids led to him developing brain cancer. 2 years later Lyle died of brain cancer, highlighting to fans and athletes all around the world how dangerous PED’s are on individual’s health (Bennett, 2011).

Conclusion

Overall the research provided can conclude that PED’s, prove to negatively damage athlete’s health. Common illnesses associated with PED’s are cancer, strokes and heart attacks. When athletes abuse the use of illegal PED’s they begin to increase their chances of being a victim of serve medical conditions. However, elite level athletes are not being punished seriously enough. Maria Sharapova only served a 15 month ban as well as being allowed straight back into elite level tennis. Maria a tennis super star, is portraying a wrongful image towards fans and future players of the sport. Therefore, this will begin to showcase illegal PED’s in sport, leading to children and lower level athletes using the same drugs to enhance their own performance in order to try and compete at the elite level of sport. On the other hand, research has provided potential benefits of illegal PED’s in sport. Gleaves discusses how PED’s will over time Improve sporting equipment as well as coaching, as new technology will need to be developed alongside the quickly developing athletes. Kayser argues that legalising PED’s in sport will encourage a safer use of drugs throughout all sport. Leading to decreases in death and chronic illnesses. As we can see PED’s have a huge impact on athletes and sport, unless consequences are tightened further with the use of illegal PED’s. Sport is going to be fighting a losing battle.

Gaps and weaknesses found in the research area would be minimal evidence with examples of illegal PED use regarding the UK, most research relates towards America and other big European countries. As well as technology’s not being advanced enough to detect newly formed PED’s. Athletes may already be abusing PED’s that are illegal but not detectable by drug tests.

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