Introduction
A common form of athletic enhancement for athletes who compete in marathons or cycling is known as blood doping. Jeanna Bryner, Managing Editor of Live Science, states it is “an illicit method of improving athletic performance by artificially boosting the blood 's ability to bring more oxygen to muscles.” Marathonist and cyclists use this method over steroids because if there is more oxygen going into their muscles, then they are able to increase their stamina and performance. This increase allows athletes to travel long distances without becoming fatigued. Though blood doping is an easy and natural way to enhance performance for a short amount of time, it can cause health complications. It is thought that this is a natural …show more content…
Efforts are currently being done in the medical field to make blood doping safer. Although blood doping is a work in progress in terms of how safe it is, it can not be legalized until it is completely safe for use. This means having to wait anywhere from one to ten years or possibly even longer. It is sad that Lance cannot do something he is passionate about anymore, but say blood doping were legalized before it was fully safe for sports use. Lance would probably continue to do it and increase the chances of him having health complications. If it is legalized before it is safe for athletic use, then athletes will begin to use it more often putting their health at greater risks. Keeping blood doping illegal is a form of scaring athletes into not doing it because if caught then they are at risk of not being allowed to compete and possibly ruining their careers. Athletes ' current choice between cheating or losing might be replaced with an even more dire choice between perilous levels of drug use, or losing (Wolchover, 2012). If blood doping were legalized, athletes would be forced to choose between losing or risking their lives to win. By having it remain illegal athletes will not have to make such a tough decision, and are able to maintain their
A common form of athletic enhancement for athletes who compete in marathons or cycling is known as blood doping. Jeanna Bryner, Managing Editor of Live Science, states it is “an illicit method of improving athletic performance by artificially boosting the blood 's ability to bring more oxygen to muscles.” Marathonist and cyclists use this method over steroids because if there is more oxygen going into their muscles, then they are able to increase their stamina and performance. This increase allows athletes to travel long distances without becoming fatigued. Though blood doping is an easy and natural way to enhance performance for a short amount of time, it can cause health complications. It is thought that this is a natural …show more content…
Efforts are currently being done in the medical field to make blood doping safer. Although blood doping is a work in progress in terms of how safe it is, it can not be legalized until it is completely safe for use. This means having to wait anywhere from one to ten years or possibly even longer. It is sad that Lance cannot do something he is passionate about anymore, but say blood doping were legalized before it was fully safe for sports use. Lance would probably continue to do it and increase the chances of him having health complications. If it is legalized before it is safe for athletic use, then athletes will begin to use it more often putting their health at greater risks. Keeping blood doping illegal is a form of scaring athletes into not doing it because if caught then they are at risk of not being allowed to compete and possibly ruining their careers. Athletes ' current choice between cheating or losing might be replaced with an even more dire choice between perilous levels of drug use, or losing (Wolchover, 2012). If blood doping were legalized, athletes would be forced to choose between losing or risking their lives to win. By having it remain illegal athletes will not have to make such a tough decision, and are able to maintain their