Performing Enhancing Drugs in SportsA Walk Through The Years

A Peek Into The Future

A Performance-Enhancing Drug can be defined as any substance taken to perform better athletically

The use of these substances for sporting events date back to the ancient Greeks and ancient Maya

Performance potions were utilized by the Greeks to enhance their abilities while cocoa leaves were used by the ancient Maya

Cocoa Leaves were known to have an effect similar to cocaine

Today, we are seeing an increase in drug testing as well as the government trying to get involved

These are all various reasons for the spike in Performance Enhancing Drugs

we are now seeing a boost of publicity, an increase in sales of PED’s, and companies trying to beat each other to come out with the latest product

As we see an enhancement in the entertainment value of sports, we are also seeing a diminishing effect on the value of sportsmanship

Today's products range from Human Growth Hormones to Testosterone Boosters to even Gum and Steroids that can dissolve under the tongue

How have we gotten to this point as a society?

Minimum MLB salaries have made an increase of $300,000 in 2003 to $480,000 in 2012

“I believe that 50% of todays players use PED’s” -- BALCO Co-Founder Victor Conte

The upcoming Hall of Fame Voting Class will have Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens who are in the Top Three All Time Statistical Categories but will be left out of the HOF because of suspicion of PED’s

“MLB officials say cheating is tough to resist with the return they get on their investment” – USA Todays Bob Nightengale

“Players today need to use PED’s to be able to keep up with the rest of league” – Jose Canseco

BeforeAfter

Major League Baseball is working to eliminate all PED’s from the game by increasing the amount of drug tests per year, as well as inventing new technology that will be able to detect more and more PED’s

Our United States Government is trying to govern all sports PED use by imposing stiffer penalties for failed tests and informing athletes of the physical and mental side effects of their actions

Performance Enhancing Drug use will continue to be seen as a widespread problem in society because of the goals and dreams wanting to be achieved

.05% of the General Public say that they have used PED’s

School-Age Children PED use has risen 1.5% each year since 1991

Professional & Collegiate Athletes will continue to be the highest percentage of PED users as they realize they may need them to keep the competitive edge to make a living

In the future, we should see a decrease in all PED use but only if a few things happen which will create a domino effect

Each respective professional sports league needs to implement every plan they have in place to not only stop PED use but also stop the need for it

Which will then stop the use of PED’s in College Athletics because there would be less of a desire to use them

From there we would see a decrease of use in the General Public because of the lessened influence from Professional and Collegiate Athletes which would ultimately put a stop to School-Age Children using PED’s

References• Drug free sport. (2012). Retrieved from

http://www.drugfreesport.com/drug-resources/performance-enhancing-drugs-steroids.asp

• Scott, M. (2008, July 12). The use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports. Retrieved fromhttp://www.deltacollege.edu/org/deltawinds/DWOnline08/theuseofperformance.html

• Stephen, E. (2011, November 20). truebluela.com. Retrieved from http://www.truebluela.com/2011/11/20/2576597/mlb-minimum-salary-increase-new-cba

• Cherner, R. (2012, August 17). Tell us: Percentage of mlb players using peds?. Retrieved from http://content.usatoday.com/communities/gameon/post/2012/08/what-percentage-of-players-use-performance-enhancing-drugs/1

• Procon.org. (11, 06 20). Retrieved from http://sportsanddrugs.procon.org/view.answers.php?questionID=001227

• Tolliver, J. (2004, March). Steroid abuse in today. Retrieved from http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/brochures/steroids/professionals/index.html

• Keyz, K. (Producer) (2011). Upbeat instrumental [Web]. Retrieved from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAkpgGkNNHA