Sandel's Use Of Performance Enhancing Drugs In Sports

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In Chapter 2, Sandel argues that talent is a gift that can be admired. Sandel believes that the use of genetically modified drugs or the use of performance enhancing drugs in sports, erodes the part of athletics that celebrate the natural talent and gifts of the athletes. He also says that performance enhancements, genetically modified or otherwise diminishes the essence of the game. Do they really have to diminish the admiration for natural talent? Does it really taint the telos of sports? I do not believe it does or has to. Performance enhancing drugs, genetically modified or not, make the game more interesting. Unlike television shows or movies, sports competitions become more entertaining when you see people perform at the extreme edge …show more content…

By allowing the use of these forms of enhancement to sports it levels the playing field. In terms of sports, the perception that everyone has the same chance at winning is totally ridiculous. However, in the example of baseball, if the number one pitcher is using enhancements and so is the best batter then the odds are more even then if only one of the stars were using. In the terms of genetics, some people are born with certain genes that create an advantage over others without that gene. Consider the Finish Olympic champion skier Eero Mantyranta, he was born with a gene mutation that allowed his body to produce more red blood cells than normal. The ability to perform well in competition is connected with the ability of the body to deliver oxygen to muscles. As we know, oxygen is carried by red bloods cells. Therefore, the more red blood cells the body has, the more oxygen is delivered to muscles. This in turn, improves an athlete’s performance. Now if other skiers were allowed to improve their red blood cell count by doping that can increase their performance and even out the competition. This does not mean that Mantyranta would not still win, but it helps even the playing

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