Ped's Barry Bonds

Barry Bonds ended his career with a 296 batting average, 2,935 hits, 1,996 RBI’s, and a record breaking 762 home runs (Barry Bonds Player Page). These may sound like stats of a legend’s career, however he was involved with Performance Enhancing Drugs which is currently jeopardizing his chance to enter the hall of fame. PED’s has harmfully affected many great athletes careers. Not only did they cheat, but they have lost the respect of many fans. Besides the negative appearance of the player, there are also many risks to the body while using PED’s. These negative effects can harm anyone who makes the decision to take PED’s, especially young athletes with a bright future. Performance Enhancing drugs should continue to be illegal because there are future risks to the body, athletes gain an unfair competitive advantage, and there is a temptation for young athletes, which can jeopardize their future.

Athletes that take PED’s gain an advantage on their opponents because of the effects of the drug. “Many of these substances enabled them to train harder and more effectively, increase strength and size, extend their endurance, and recover more quickly from fatigue and injuries, especially sore and torn muscles” (Coakley). By taking these drugs, it allows them to have a quicker recovery, which helps them play without soreness. If they have less muscle fatigue, it becomes easier to train harder more frequently. Therefore, the more training and practice the athlete has, the more prepared they will be for their sport. PED’s is such a problem to athletes that the decision use or nonuse rests upon athletes demonstrates honesty, responsibility and integrity (Lumpkin). By not using drugs, it shows the real ability of a player. Athletes shouldn’t have to be looked at as honest and responsible because using these drugs are cheating and shouldn’t be a problem. Using PED’s is a competitive advantage among athletes and shouldn’t be allowed in any sport.

Although athletes use PED’s for an advantage, they may not realize it, but it can have negative effects on the body. However, different types of drugs can have different effects. For example Synthetic Testosterone has effects like rage, depression, severe acne, and baldness in both genders (Performance-Enhancing Drugs Are Dangerous). Another popular PED is Human Growth Hormone pills. These are the most common in young athletes which helps muscle growth and testosterone levels increase. HGH is very closely related to steroid and almost all steroids fall under the category of PED’s. Steroids can run the risk of elevated cholesterol levels, increased incidence of heart disease, addiction, serious liver damage, sex-trait changes and often severe behavioral changes, particularly heightened aggressiveness (Zirin and Housman 66). With all these possible effects, the thought of an advantage over other athletes is more important in their mind. There are so many future risks that athletes run while taking PED’s, but athletes don’t tend to think about them or worry. Athletes are often willing to play through pain and sacrifice their bodies for their sport (Coakley). Current athletes will pay the price later in life for an advantage now. Young athletes are especially not worried about the wear and tear on their bodies in the future. When athletes use PED’s, they run a great risk of injury and harm in the future.

Nowadays, young athletes see professional athletes using PED’s and are tempted to use them as well. Watching some of the best athletes dominating in their sport than being accused of taking PED’s can influence a young player to do the same for the results. “It is unknown how many youth, interscholastic, and intercollegiate athletes have been influences to use performance-enhancing drugs by record setting performances, celebrity status, and multimillion-dollar contracts of drugged sport heroes” (Lumpkin). Young athletes see professionals as heroes. If they are using PED’s to make millions and perform well, than it is tempting for a young athlete to do the same. All the publicity and money professionals have is tempting to adolescence and it is all a young athlete desires. If PED’s will get them to be a success, than that’s exactly what they will do. Not only will professional athletes have an effect on young athletes, but coaches can sometimes have an effect as well. For example, in the book Performance Enhancing Drugs, Jennifer Sey says, “ My coaches encouraged it, the doctor offered it, and many of my teammates lined up right behind me” (Sey 76). If your coaches recommend it and your teammates are doing it as well, it may seem hard to say no. How is it okay for coaches to encourage an illegal act and how do doctors prescribe PED’s to someone? However, coaches around the world have their own beliefs and doctors control their own actions, even if they are illegal ones. Undoubtedly, there is pressure on young athletes to use Performance Enhancing Drugs in various ways.

Many individuals believe that PED’s should be legal and a part of sports. Sidney Gendin in the book Steroids believes that they should be legal by saying, “Athletes who take steroids must still work hard in order to achieve results, as these substances are not a replacement” (Gendin 83). For an