Use of Steroids in Horse Racing
Naomi Kreider
Ms. Wolk
Honors 9 English
24 March 2010
Thesis: Over the past few years there has been a debate whether using steroids in horse-racing is ethical, while steroids are performance enhancing they are very dangerous and can cause a lot of injury or even death to the horse and rider.
Topic I: Steroids have been used in the horse-racing industry since the 1970's, but studies have shown in the past few years just how dangerous the steroids can be.
A- A man named Dr. Lawrence Soma said that these anabolic steroids are very dangerous because, when the foreign EPO's are administered they suppress the naturally occurring EPO (an anabolic steroid) in horses. These EPO's are made from humans and can cause the immune system to fail when stopped; also when this drug is no longer administered the horse will usually suffer from anemia (Finkelstein).
B- In 1989 there was a New York Times reporter Steven Crist who saw that “although horses run clean in the rest of the world, American legislators, racing officials, and horse owners have allowed themselves to be bullied by trainers into buying a big lie: that the sport can no longer be conducted unless the horses are fed anti-inflammatory drugs like Butazolidin and diuretics like Lasix.” (Magitti)
C- The drug Butazolidin helps reduce inflammation and covers up some of the pain, this can cause a lot of problems. If the horse is not fit to race because of a hairline fracture or something similar the Butazolidin covers it up which can cause the horse to be so injured they can never race again (Magitti).
Topic II: Ever since 2008 race track officials have become much more stringent with the rules of drug use in the race-horses.
A- In 2009 New Jersey decided to input a new law to punish any trainer who administers steroids to their horses. This law says that the first time drugs are given the trainer must pay a 1,000 dollar fine and their license is suspended for a while. After the first time the punishments become
Ms. Wolk
Honors 9 English
24 March 2010
Thesis: Over the past few years there has been a debate whether using steroids in horse-racing is ethical, while steroids are performance enhancing they are very dangerous and can cause a lot of injury or even death to the horse and rider.
Topic I: Steroids have been used in the horse-racing industry since the 1970's, but studies have shown in the past few years just how dangerous the steroids can be.
A- A man named Dr. Lawrence Soma said that these anabolic steroids are very dangerous because, when the foreign EPO's are administered they suppress the naturally occurring EPO (an anabolic steroid) in horses. These EPO's are made from humans and can cause the immune system to fail when stopped; also when this drug is no longer administered the horse will usually suffer from anemia (Finkelstein).
B- In 1989 there was a New York Times reporter Steven Crist who saw that “although horses run clean in the rest of the world, American legislators, racing officials, and horse owners have allowed themselves to be bullied by trainers into buying a big lie: that the sport can no longer be conducted unless the horses are fed anti-inflammatory drugs like Butazolidin and diuretics like Lasix.” (Magitti)
C- The drug Butazolidin helps reduce inflammation and covers up some of the pain, this can cause a lot of problems. If the horse is not fit to race because of a hairline fracture or something similar the Butazolidin covers it up which can cause the horse to be so injured they can never race again (Magitti).
Topic II: Ever since 2008 race track officials have become much more stringent with the rules of drug use in the race-horses.
A- In 2009 New Jersey decided to input a new law to punish any trainer who administers steroids to their horses. This law says that the first time drugs are given the trainer must pay a 1,000 dollar fine and their license is suspended for a while. After the first time the punishments become