Performance enhancing drugs do not determine a sportsperson's final result, their
talent does.
Fair sportsmanship and competition has been a part of our society since the beginning
of time. Although professional athletes are fully equipped and good enough to
participate in many sporting events, many of them feel pressured into using
performance enhancing drugs to better their athletic performance. The question is, are
won trophies and broken records just as satisfying and just as celebrated when done
using performance enhancers?
First of all, there are many reasons why athletes choose to use performance
enhancing drugs. Pressure to succeed or win at any cost, pressure from the media
and the public to be successful or the belief that other competitors are taking drugs,
so without the reliance on drugs they will not be able to compete equally. The problem
becomes clearer when athletes get addicted to all the success which comes with
doping. People start to see their improving numbers and think of it as their natural
abilities – as something which can be kept up forever. However, the many health risks
that come with taking stimulants always catches up and if they want to continue their
careers, they have to stop. The built up dependence on performance enhancers can
have tremendous side effects to the athlete’s mental health and self image. That’s
when suddenly sportsmen are hit with thoughts of regret. While some mope around
blaming themselves on wasted time and opportunities, almost all start to view their
achievements as negligible.
The next problem I mentioned was one of celebration. Is watching athletes you look
up to while using performance enhancing drugs more or less the same or is it any
different? For many, the answer is mostly the latter. Teens and adults who follow
athletes can sometimes even view them as role models. They want to believe that
they’re fair and good people, that their achievements were accomplished without
additional help and reliance on drugs. So, naturally, when news breaks that an athlete,
who’s looked up to by many, is doping, disappointment follows. People want to see
honestly earned results. They want to believe that everything was accomplished
through willpower and hard work because that is what motivates everyone else to
better themselves.
To summarise, every athlete would like to perform at a higher level than their
competition, but not by using self harming and unfair practices. The idea that athletes
are normal human beings like you and I, pushing themselves and their natural abilities
to their limit, is what adds to the admiration. When athletes, who we look up to, all
perform in a level playing field we celebrate their achievements and victories but
most importantly we celebrate said athletes as true heroes.