Athlete Doping: Right or Wrong?

Athlete doping is the administration of different drugs to enhance an athlete’s performance. Is athlete doping then right or wrong?

Doping is one of the many undesirable practices in the modern world of sports.

Various governing bodies strictly ban the usage of these drugs in multiple sports.

The main sports governing organization International Olympic Committee strictly discourages and forbids the act of doping.

History of Athlete Doping and recent incidents:

Athletes from the very beginning wanted to do well in different sports.

For athletes, the consumption of any such drugs also came under preparation. It was just like taking another diet to improve performance.

The earliest known case of a drug enhancement in sport occurred in 1807 in the Endurance Walking Race in Britain.

An athlete took a unique drug to keep awake for long hours–the drug offered the athlete a significant advantage over his competitors, an undue one.

It has been common among athletes since the first drug enhancement incident.

More than 30% of the 2011 World Athletics Championship athletes admitted to using banned substances at some point in their careers for performance enhancements.

In 2016, the Russian Track and Field Team got banned from the prestigious Rio Olympic Games on severe doping charges.

What are the Effects of taking these performance-enhancing drugs(Doping)?

Over the years, both advantages and disadvantages of doping have been observed. Some expected benefits of doping are:

Swift Recovery from an Injury:

You have heard that doping can lead to quick recovery or healing from an injury.

Doping may or probably can lead to faster healing and recovery of the body from certain kinds of injuries.

However, the banned substance is detectable in the human body and further complicates sporting careers.

Increased Muscle Mass and Strength:

Enhancement drugs can alter the metabolism of the body. The increase in metabolism leads to a rise in the human body’s muscle mass.

Enhancing drugs can lead to faster gains in the body and greater strength.

Different athletes and players have used drugs to build muscles and improve performance.

However, in the long run, this offers several disadvantages as well.

Decreased Fat tissues:

Fat Tissues are a common issue for athletes, and regulating their levels in the human body is essential.

However, athletes often find it challenging to get rid of them.

On the contrary, using drugs to decrease body fat seems like an easy way out. But, it also comes at a more significant expense.

Disadvantages of Athlete Doping:

While all these advantages may seem very intriguing and tempting for athletes to use these performance-enhancing drugs, they all come at a price. These include the following:

Athletes may develop skincare issues and severe acne.
The chances of tendinitis multiply, and there is an increased risk of tendon rupture, leading to periods of unbearable pain.
Liver Abnormalities and Tumors may also develop due to these banned drugs as they fast-track your natural metabolism.
High Blood Pressure and Circulation Problems can also develop because of alternating cholesterol levels in the blood.
Drug Dependence, Psychiatric Disorders, and Aggressive behaviors are common among athletes resorting to doping for improved performances.
Inhibited Growth – This is a severe issue, especially with drugs used for muscle growth. They can backfire and make matters worse, especially at a young age.