Legalize Steroids in Sports

Legalize Steroids In Sports Ben Johnson was one of the first superstar athletes to be caught using steroids and was stripped of his 100m gold medal at the 1988 Olympics. He was eventually banned for life in 1993 for testing positive again (Richardson 2010). Performance enhancing drugs have become widely used since the 1970’s and have only increased in the numbers of athletes using the drugs to up their endurance and perform to their greatest potential. Professionals such as Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, and Hulk Hogan have all been humiliated and are now seen as cheaters after being caught using steroids. It is too late to stop these sports fuelled on drugs because of the large number of athletes using, so why not consider drug use as a way to level the playing field? The only way to stop the “cheating” in sports is to open up the gates and drop all performance-enhancing drug laws throughout the sports. We should stop all the hypocrisy and allow pro athletes to take whatever performance drugs they please. In 1995 Bob Goldman, a Chicago physician, asked 198 Olympic U.S. athletes whether they would take a banned substance if they were guaranteed to win; 195 of those athletes said yes (Richardson 2011). Professionals know the risks of steroids, but if you offered an athlete a drug that would guarantee him glory and riches, but knock ten years off his life, most would take it (Madden 2011). The health risks caused by steroids have been broadly exaggerated. The athletes using these drugs want to become bigger, leaner, and faster. For example, a male athlete injecting testosterone into their body will gain better adaptations to training and better performance. This is because testosterone enhances muscle power and promotes recovery from tough workouts. The testosterone has a high anabolic effect, strengthening muscle cells, and repairing and toughening bones. Steroids allow the athletes to maximize their performance on field, which is their main