BLOG 52 BANNED SUBSTANCES

BLOG 52 BANNED SUBSTANCES

We are all personally responsible for what we put into our bodies. And when it comes to professional and even collegiate level athletes, using substances for performance enhancement has become a lingering hot topic. We become impressed and entranced by such talented players, only to find out their athletic feats have been tainted and yes I’ll say it, they “cheated”. We put these athletes on a pedestal, later to be disappointed by their morality and lies.

Athletes who have been busted over the years have been shamed and punished by the according leagues they belong to and their image is never fully recovered. Remember Alex Rodriguez who was the youngest player to hit 500 home runs?? Well he was suspended for 211 games for using performance enhancing drugs. Probably most notably how can we forget Lance Armstrong:  “The golden boy of cycling, who inspired countless people with his consistent victories and overcame testicular cancer, saw his famed reputation crumble after he admitted in January 2013 to using enhancement substances throughout his career. Consequently, the International Cycling Union stripped Armstrong of his seven Tour de France victories and banned him from the sport for life in October of 2012 (http://www.biography.com/news/a-rod-suspension-banned-athletes). Marion Jones is also on this list: “She sprinted her way to five gold medals during the Olympics, becoming the first female track and field athlete to accomplish such a feat. All was well as the years went by and her legacy remained intact—until she tested positive for a banned substance in 2006” (http://www.biography.com/news/a-rod-suspension-banned-athletes).

The banned substance list is quite lengthy. Categories include anabolic agents, peptide hormones, growth factors, related substances and mimics, hormone and metabolic modulators, beta-2 agonists, diuretics and masking agents, manipulation of blood and blood components, chemical and physical manipulation, gene doping, stimulants, narcotics, cannabinoids, glucocorticoids, alcohol, and beta blockers. (http://www.usada.org/wp-content/uploads/wada-2016-prohibited-list-en.pdf).

It’s unfortunate that today’s youth and even avid sports fans become disappointed by these findings. Many other athletes are impacted as well. What a shame to lose a competition only to find that your competitor was cheating. We never know who truly was the winner. And those who do win receive endorsements, fame, higher pay, and publicity that other athletes aren’t “worthy” of. Recently, with the findings of Maria Sharapova I was even more disappointed.  

I want to give athletes the benefit of the doubt when allegations arise, however, we have yet to be disproved. Integrity is such a vital quality, and each person has to live with the choices they make. All natural is far more respectable. Hard work, talent, and skill should be the baseline components. Let’s hope the future is brighter when it comes to professional sports. We know our fitness journeys require honesty and there simply is no magic pill or substance.