Steroids, Sports, and the Ethics of Winning
Sports is celebrated globally and whenever there are major events, for example, the Olympics, or the World Cup (soccer), people stream in their millions to go and watch. Fairness is something that is always emphasized and the participants are asked to engage in that which will fulfill the interest of the viewers. All over the world, people look up to the sportsmen and women and to some of us, they are our heroes. By virtue of being considered a hero or an inspiration to people around the world, it is only fitting that one wins the right way. For example, the recently retired Usain Bolt is currently, considered the greatest athlete that ever took part in the 100 meters and 200 meters running competitions. Bolt has inspired many all over the world and little boys sing his name and often refer to their running abilities being closer to his. However, despite his quest to redeem himself, Justin Gatlin is still being booed and seen as an enemy of fairness because he was once found guilty of using enhancement drugs. In this article, therefore, the use of steroids in sport and its implication on the ethics of winning will be discussed.
Winning brings joy and fulfillment to people taking part in sports. People go to great lengths to make sure that they are in the best position to win or even be considered as a worthy contestant. Everyone has their own story and we all want to keep writing our stories as we keep breaking and overcoming barriers in our paths. Sporting activities happen to be among the activities that people engage in as they try to build their lives and prove critics and the cynics wrong. People are drawn to sports because of the entertainment sporting events generate. The competition is always enthralling and the passion with which people cheer at their favorite athletes is enough to explain how drawn to sports people are.
Winning to the fans is also important and more so winning the right way. However, some athletes take winning to another level when they decide to use strength enhancing drugs such as steroids. Some of these athletes are often frustrated because they find themselves falling short regardless of how much work they put into their practice sessions. The use of steroids in sports is not new and many athletes have been found guilty of this offense. A perfect example is Marion Jones who was found guilty of using performance enhancing substances. Marion brought joy and laughter to many but when news of her lies emerged, people were devastated and many felt cheated. Sporting events often elicit passion and certain emotions from people and hence the issues of discouragement and feelings of betrayal whenever such news break.
Ethics in sports is indeed essential and it plays a huge role in making sure that athletes are disciplined and that they also stick to the stipulated rules. It is true that any win is sweet but winning within the set rules is much sweeter. Athletes need to understand their role to not only themselves but to the world. People especially children look up to them and want to be like them when they grow up. Using steroids and taking advantage of other athletes is something that should never be entertained. While ethics in sports has helped to keep athletes in check and away from any performance-enhancing substances, it is still upon the individual athletes to make this decision.
