Should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

If everyone has the choice of taking stimulants/PED's would it make the playing field more level? Less wondering about who is avoiding the 'system'?

If no, why?

If yes, should it be under certain criteria or just a broad yes, anything goes? eg nothing that has proven to affect the heart or should it be you can chose to risk your life if you want, for temporary success/money.

Great discussion topic IMO

muzikandme · Feb 14, 2013

Im going with no.

Basically everything you achieve as an athlete i would hope is with your own body, your own strength etc. Introducing PED's would mean everything you did as an athlete was some how enhanced by a drug, i believe it would completely take away from the sport and personally i wouldnt be as willing to watch anymore. You want to be amazed when Lebron leaps 10 feet in the air over 4 people, you certainly dont want to be sitting there saying what you just saw was a result of drug use.

Sanctum · Feb 14, 2013

I vote no simply because I think PED's defeat the purpose of sport but I should perhaps have voted "within a certain criteria" which for me would be.. two leagues. A drug free league and league for those taking drugs.

I reckon a PED league will eventually lead to mutations and blood sports, or The Running Man. lol

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

Great topic hey!

is it comparable to saying you also don't want to take drugs (natural or man-made) to recover from a cold or recover faster from an injury or reduce pain? Why is it acceptable to use drugs to prevent health issues but not enhawhat human capability?

i used to be totally against it, or never really thought about or discussed it, until the Lance Armstrong issue. He is the face of cycling doping now, no matter how many did it too or got away with it or how crafty he was to beat the testing system. But, other things he did were amazing - beat cancer. Raise hundreds of millions for good causes. Do those people now feel they should give the money he made for them back! Hell no LOL. Sponsors want to drop him! They should donate money he made for them to another charity!

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

Would you rather know now which athletes or sports were using PED's or not? For me, finding out in 10 years that what Usain Bolt achieved was done by using banned substances would somewhat diminish they excitement I would remember feeling while watching him destroy the competition back in the day.

if we found out a bball player could extend their career by a few years, or come back from an injury faster, shouldn't it be allowed? How come it's ok for Kobe and Dirk to basically rejuvenate their blood? I believe that's basically what platelet rich therapy does.

this has got me thinking haha

drob50 · Feb 14, 2013

Hell No!! They shouldn't be allowed!

Hard work is the ONLY drug that should be on the permitted list!

Platelet rich therapy uses plasma, which is a natural substance, so it is very different to PEDs!

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

drob50 said:
Hell No!! They shouldn't be allowed!

Hard work is the ONLY drug that should be on the permitted list!

Platelet rich therapy uses plasma, which is a natural substance, so it is very different to PEDs!

Performance enhances drugs doesn't just mean steroids though, what if someone uses a naturally ocurring substance to enhance their performance or recover from an injury. I haven't seen the NBA banned substance list but is it all man-made stuff or are the natural things on there as well does anyone know?

kiwi_in_melb · Feb 14, 2013

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

ok here's the list I found:

The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association adopted the first anti-drug policy in major professional sports on September 28, 1983. Under the current program, all players are subject to random testing for banned substances during the pre-season period, rookies are subject to random testing three times during the regular season, and all players are subject to testing for reasonable causes at any time. Steroids were added to the list of banned substances in 1999.
Steroids: If a player tests positive for steroids for the first time during Reasonable Cause Testing, First-Year Testing, or Veteran Testing, the player will be suspended for five games and will be required to enter the Anti-Drug Program. A second positive test for steroids will result in a ten-game suspension and the player’s re-entry into the program. A third (or any subsequent) positive test for steroids will result in a twenty-five game suspension and the player’s re-entry into the program. A player will be dismissed and disqualified from the NBA if he is convicted of, or pleads guilty, no contest or nolo contendre to, a crime involving the use or possession of steroids.
The following is a list of substances banned under the NBA/NBPA’s Anti-Drug Program:
A. Drugs of Abuse

Amphetamine and its analogs (including, but not limited to, methamphetamine and MDMA)
Cocaine
Mescaline
LSD
Opiates (Heroin, Codeine, Morphine)

Phencyclidine (PCP)

B. Marijuana and its By-Products

C. Steroids

Androstenedione
Bolasterone
Boldenone
Clenbuterol
Clostebol
Dehydrochlormethyltestosterone
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)
Dromostanolone
Ephedra (also called Ma Huang,Bishop’s Tea and Chi Powder)
Ephedrine
Ethylestrenol
Fluoxymesterone
Furazebol
Gestrinone
Mesterolone
Methandienone
Methandriol
Methenolone
Methylephedrine
Methyltestosterone
Mibolerone
Nandrolone
Norpseudoephedrine (also called Cathine)
Oxandrolone
Oxymesterone
Oxymetholone
Phenylpropanolamine (PPA)
Pseudoephedrine
Stanozolol
Testosterone
Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG)
Trenbolone

tak35bne · Feb 14, 2013

The only answer should be HELL NO.............

kiwi_in_melb · Feb 14, 2013

it's a tough call with all the push on things like Red Bull / Gatorade etc that are supposed to give you more energy / help you re hydrate better.

Surely these things could be considered preformance enhancing to an extent as well?

Where to draw the line is hard

In 10 or 20 more years though I wouldnt be surprised to see half the stuff thats banned now but given the green light.

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

tak35bne said:
The only answer should be HELL NO.............

Why not?

GarnettFan4Life · Feb 14, 2013

Performance enhancing herbal remedies?

Is it just a stigma with the actual name "PED's"?

muzikandme · Feb 14, 2013

I think the line is pretty well drawn, gatorade is a substance made readily available to the public and although it may help with rehydration the results on the body would be far less then most of the banned substances. Obviously some drugs that are banned would only show up if the levels in your body were abnormally high, for instance Pseudoephedrine is found in a lot of cold and flu products but im guessing that it wouldnt show up on tests unless you had a large amount in your system. Those types of things can be explained but when you go out of the way like Lance Armstrong to cheat and lie in order to win a competition thats when it becomes completely wrong for me.

Strop · Feb 14, 2013

I say no.

If, for competition, you are using or adding to yourself with the express reason to put yourself in front of others, than it's not you who has accomplished anything but you will forever have the stigma of being enhanced. IMO

People will ALWAYS look at you and all you have accomplished as tainted, which is the way it should be.

Natural ability is what separates the great players from the good, not a man made substance.

In saying that, if everyone was taking PED's, would the natural ability still be the difference between the players? If so, what's the point

If everyone was on PED's, the MVP award would be given to the Most Violated Player!

kiwi_in_melb · Feb 14, 2013

Come on Strop if there was a PED that could make Dwight shoot free throws we would both be happy.

Verse1 · Feb 14, 2013

I say no but I feel fans/management/leagues are the ones who brought this all about. Do you really think the players would want to risk their body's if it wasn't for fans/management expecting the absolute best out of these guys. I can totally understand why a player would use them.

tagged · Feb 14, 2013

NO WAY,
Many great athletes have died as a result.
Taking drugs to recover from illness doesn't improve your performance, it returns it to normal.

tagged · Feb 14, 2013

GarnettFan4Life said:
Why not?

You seem to like to idea of PED.

ARTHY23 · Feb 14, 2013

HELL YEAH IT SHOULD..

imagine everyone on roids/meth.. goings nuts.. dunking and breaking backboards.. that would be incredible!! it be like space jam all over again!
the only drug they shouldnt do is weed.. because they will just be drousy, happy and hungry! lol

Should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in sports?