Maggie Pfaff EN 102 Short Argument Essay 19 February 2018 Selfish Self-Harm How far are people willing to go to be successful? Are they willing to compromise their integrity to further their careers? Athletes across the nation often ask themselves these simple questions. Joe Posnanski, a writer for Sports Illustrated, responds to these questions in his essay “Cheating and CHEATING” when he observes that “In other words, it seems more or less the same level of cheating and more or less the same level of wrong” (557). Posnanski is referring to the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) within the sports industry; he discusses the effects PEDs have on both athletes and the industry as a whole. Athletes are often caught self-medicating for the simple purpose of enhancing their careers and allowing themselves to compete at a higher level than their opponents--even though they know the effect PEDs can have on their bodies. It can be argued that performance enhancing drugs should be regulated, not prohibited; however, these drugs should never be used, especially by athletes, because they are harmful, they are used selfishly, and they put users at an unfair advantage. While there are vast amounts of evidence proving the harm of PEDs, many believe that legalizing and regulating PEDs would be more effective than completely banning them. Most athletes will tell people that drug testing is a waste of time and resources because it is virtually impossible for drug testers to be accurate, precise, and up to date. Stephen Wang, author of “Is it Time to Legalize PEDs?,” writes, “...testing for PEDs is exceedingly difficult for governing bodies as drug makers continue to develop undetectable substances and athletes engage in doping practices that allow them to avoid testing positive” (par. 1). Basically, Wang is saying that drug makers are one step ahead of drug testers; as soon as a test is made for one drug, a new drug surfaces (par. 1). Because of this information, it would be better to regulate PEDs; the drug usage would be less secretive and harmful--athletes would have a fair playing field. Many also believe that if PEDs were legalized, the level of competition would become more fair because everyone would have the option to legally take drugs to improve their performance. Therefore, the playing field would be equal again, resulting in a higher level of performance throughout the sports industry. Because of the useless effort put into catching dopers as well as leveling the playing field, several argue that legalizing PEDs would benefit the sports industry as a whole. While Wang’s claim is valid, his logic is quite skewed; PEDs are extremely dangerous to both the physical and mental health of users--no matter the outcome of taking the drug. Afshin Ostovar et al., authors of “Comparison of the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Performance-Enhancing Drug Users and Nonuser Bodybuilders,” state, “PED abuse, particularly anabolic steroids (AASs), can produce adverse effects on different body systems including endocrine system, reproductive system, liver, skin, cardiovascular system, and central nervous system (CNS)” (220). In addition, Ostovar et al. go on to explain the psychiatric disorders that take place while under the influence such as mood swings, aggression, and alcohol usage (220). “Our study revealed that the prevalence of violence and alcohol use were higher in the current and noncurrent athletes compared with the non user athletes” (Ostover et at. 223). Essentially, athletes who use PEDs put their bodies at extreme risk, both physically and mentally, for the simple purpose of advancing their careers. However, in reality, these athletes are aware of the damage they are causing themselves in the long run and choose to do so anyway. Not only are PEDs harmful, but they are also used in a selfish manner. The only reason athletes use these drugs is to make themselves look a certain way and perform at a certain level-- all of which are selfish. William Moller, a financial analyst, agrees with this in his essay “We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals,” when he writes, “And knowing full well that what I was doing could be nothing better than against the rules, I did what I felt I needed to do, to accomplish what was demanded of me” (546-547). Moller is describing the first time he took PEDs after several weeks of studying late into the night to pass his exams (547). Like Moller, many athletes self-medicate because they want to accomplish a certain goal and believe that without drugs, it would be impossible. Athletes lack confidence in themselves and turn to drugs for a quick fix. Oftentimes when athletes are caught doping, they respond by explaining how the pressures of perfection are overwhelming enough to do something illegal. Shane Creado and Claudia Reardon, authors of “The Sports Psychiatrist and Performance-Enhancing Drugs,” suggest that in today’s society, winning is everything (564). Therefore, athletes are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. Even though athletes are put under immense amounts of pressure to succeed, the choice to partake in illegal matters is one that they decide. Along with using drugs selfishly, PEDs also put users at an unfair advantage. Malcolm Gladwell, author of “Drugstore Athlete,” states in his essay, “Performance-enhancing drugs allow athletes to train harder and improve their athletic performance over a short period of time” (par 1). The essence of Gladwell’s argument is that using PEDs puts users in a position to increase their performance at an accelerated rate, which leaves their “clean” competitors in the dust. Fakhri Mubarak, an International Federation of Bodybuilding and Fitness (IFBB) pro and contest-prep specialist, proves this point when he states, “In one month, I gained 28 pounds” (qtd. In Weinreb par. 13). Athletes can also personalize the types of drugs along with the amount taken to perfect their body in only a short amount of time (par. 6). Gladwell then goes on to explain that the fast results found from taking these drugs only makes athletes want more; the quick results lead athletes to a serious addiction problem. This problem will serve as an extreme detriment to an athlete later in life. Athletes who use PEDs are put at an unfair advantage compared to their clean counterparts. Therefore, while many believe that performance enhancing drugs should be regulated, not prohibited, these drugs should never be used, especially by athletes, because they are harmful to one’s health, they are used only for selfish purposes, and they put users at an unfair advantage. Athletes all around the world are constantly being put under pressure to look and perform a certain way; because of these pressures, athletes self-medicate even though they are aware of the harm it brings to their bodies. While this is not excuse, it poses a question: Is the use of PEDs a result of selfish athletes or of an extreme society?
Works Cited Creado, Shane, and Claudia Reardon. "The Sports Psychiatrist and Performance-Enhancing Drugs." International Review of Psychiatry, vol. 28, no. 6, 2016, pp. 564-71. Academic Search Elite,web.b.ebscohost.com.library.ncmissouri.edu:8080/ehost/pdfviewer/ pdfviewer?vid=6&sid=e05eea62-3752-449a-92bb-36a93cc5ebe8%40pdc-v-sessmgr06. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019.
Gladwell, Malcolm. "Performance-Enhancing Drugs Should Be Regulated, Not Prohibited." Performance-Enhancing Drugs, edited by James Haley, Greenhaven Press, 2003. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010285209/OVIC?u=ncmoc11357&sid=OVIC&xid=a4b108bb. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019. Originally published as "Drugstore Athlete," New Yorker, 10 Sept. 2001.
Moller, William. "We, the Public, Place the Best Athletes on Pedestals" They Say I Say with Readings, by Gerald Graff et al., 2nd ed., New York, W.W. Norton and Company, 2012, pp. 3545-551.
Ostovar, Afshin, et al. "Comparison of the Prevalence of Psychiatric Disorders in Performance-Enhancing Drug Users and Nonuser Bodybuilders." Iran J Psychiatry, 2017, pp. 220-25. Academic Search Premier, web.b.ebscohost.com.library.ncmissouri.edu:8080/ehost /detail/detail?vid=4&sid=36fdfff2-c3ff43908746e472942b41cb%40sessionmgr102&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3Qtb Gl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=126079821&db=aph. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019.
Posnanski, Joe. "Cheating and CHEATING" They Say I Say with Readings, by Gerald Graff et al., 2nd ed., New York, W.W. Norton and Company, 2012, pp. 553-559.
Wang, Stephen. "Performance-Enhancing Drugs Should Be Legalized." Performance-Enhancing Drugs, edited by Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2015. Opposing Viewpoints. Opposing Viewpoints in Context, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010934207/OVIC?u=ncmoc11357&sid=OVIC&xid=773fb020. Accessed 19 Feb. 2019. Originally published as "Is it Time to Legalize PEDs?" International, 10 Aug. 2013. Weinreb, Michael. "Let's Talk About Steriods." Muscle & Fitness, vol. 79, no. 6, June 2018, pp. 116-21. MasterFILEPremier, web.b.ebscohost.com.library.ncmissouri.edu:8080/ehost/detail/detail?vid=11&sid=e05ea62-3752-449a-92bb-36a93cc5ebe8%40pdc-v- sessmgr06&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#AN=129531604&db=c9h. Accessed 20 Feb.2019.