Athletes and Drugs
Performance enhancing drugs should be regulated, not prohibited, because they can only hurt or damage a person if he/she go over limit, mandatory drug test can't detect all types of steroids , and all sports have rules that must be followed.
“Among the most popular performance-boosting drugs are anabolic steroids which are used by athletes to build muscle, strength, and body weight” (Bouchard). Doping has been an issue in athletics since the time of the ancient Greeks. Doping is the use of drugs or unlawful supplements to improve the physical conditioning, performance, and/or endurance of an athlete. Doping is also seen as a form of cheating. “Experts have suggested that use of anabolic steroids has reached epidemic proportions in high school athletes, representing a real-life threatening risk” …show more content…
To be required to “prove” that one is not using drugs violates the basic legal right of the assumption of innocence until proven guilty as well as constitutional guarantees against unreasonable search and self-incrimination. “Athletes are unfairly singled out as a group in required mandatory drug testing programs” (Jacobs). College and Professional athletes generally do not cause harm to the general public and yet they are often subjected to mandatory drug testing programs that are also required of prisoners or other felons. Some athletes within these sports have in fact tested positive for use of banned substances. There is a distinction between trying to prevent the use of steroids by athletes and a widespread program of mandatory drug testing of whole classes of citizens such as athletes. If an athlete is suspected of steroids use, how else can this be proved without a drug test? Should drug testing move into the area of civil law such as lawsuits challenging an athletics claim to a record, on grounds of illegal drug
Performance enhancing drugs should be regulated, not prohibited, because they can only hurt or damage a person if he/she go over limit, mandatory drug test can't detect all types of steroids , and all sports have rules that must be followed.
“Among the most popular performance-boosting drugs are anabolic steroids which are used by athletes to build muscle, strength, and body weight” (Bouchard). Doping has been an issue in athletics since the time of the ancient Greeks. Doping is the use of drugs or unlawful supplements to improve the physical conditioning, performance, and/or endurance of an athlete. Doping is also seen as a form of cheating. “Experts have suggested that use of anabolic steroids has reached epidemic proportions in high school athletes, representing a real-life threatening risk” …show more content…
To be required to “prove” that one is not using drugs violates the basic legal right of the assumption of innocence until proven guilty as well as constitutional guarantees against unreasonable search and self-incrimination. “Athletes are unfairly singled out as a group in required mandatory drug testing programs” (Jacobs). College and Professional athletes generally do not cause harm to the general public and yet they are often subjected to mandatory drug testing programs that are also required of prisoners or other felons. Some athletes within these sports have in fact tested positive for use of banned substances. There is a distinction between trying to prevent the use of steroids by athletes and a widespread program of mandatory drug testing of whole classes of citizens such as athletes. If an athlete is suspected of steroids use, how else can this be proved without a drug test? Should drug testing move into the area of civil law such as lawsuits challenging an athletics claim to a record, on grounds of illegal drug