How Society Is Affected By Drug Usage In Sport?
Drugs have been a problem in our society for years. They have been used and abused by many groups, including amateur and professional athletes. Drugs are also used for recreational use not just for performance enhancement. Society is directly influenced by the usage of drugs in sport. A study in 2002 showed that "An estimated 3 million people aged 15 or older reported that they used marijuana or hashish at least once in the year before the survey" This shows that 12.2% of all Canadians either have health related problems which condone the usage of illegal drugs or athletes have nothing better to do.
Drug usage in sport is cheating whether it be to play better, to be more relaxed or to gain more muscle mass. Like many drugs such as cocaine (used by 1.3% of all Canadians) can give athletes, that extra advantage to reduce seconds of their time. This is unfair towards all the other athletes not using them.
Athletes have always been seen as role models by young children and by using illegal drugs this gives impressionable children the wrong idea about what has to be done to succeed in sport. Ben Johnson went from hero to zero through the usage of steroids. "At the Seoul Olympics in 1988 Ben Johnson ran the 100 meters in 9.79 seconds making him the fastest man ever. It was a proud moment in Canadian athletic history that quickly turned into a nightmare." After his suspension was over, Ben Johnson attempted to come back. " In the early 1990's Ben attempted to climb to the top once again. Unfortunately, in 1993, he tested positive again after a Montreal track event and was banned by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) for life".
Different sports require different rules for testing and giving out penalties, sports such as baseball, football, basketball and the Olympics require different methods of punishment because of the way the sport is structured.
Baseball.
Testing: Notorious for dragging its feet, baseball is finally testing players--but only for
Drug usage in sport is cheating whether it be to play better, to be more relaxed or to gain more muscle mass. Like many drugs such as cocaine (used by 1.3% of all Canadians) can give athletes, that extra advantage to reduce seconds of their time. This is unfair towards all the other athletes not using them.
Athletes have always been seen as role models by young children and by using illegal drugs this gives impressionable children the wrong idea about what has to be done to succeed in sport. Ben Johnson went from hero to zero through the usage of steroids. "At the Seoul Olympics in 1988 Ben Johnson ran the 100 meters in 9.79 seconds making him the fastest man ever. It was a proud moment in Canadian athletic history that quickly turned into a nightmare." After his suspension was over, Ben Johnson attempted to come back. " In the early 1990's Ben attempted to climb to the top once again. Unfortunately, in 1993, he tested positive again after a Montreal track event and was banned by the International Amateur Athletics Federation (IAAF) for life".
Different sports require different rules for testing and giving out penalties, sports such as baseball, football, basketball and the Olympics require different methods of punishment because of the way the sport is structured.
Baseball.
Testing: Notorious for dragging its feet, baseball is finally testing players--but only for
References: 5-6. Time, David Bjerklie, Chemical edge: Who 's got it, March 15, 2004 7 10.The Economist, 1998, p.12 11-12