Steroids in Sports

Americans today tend to believe that there are only a select few in sports who are users of steroids. However, according to Julian Savulescu, "20.3% of professional athletes said they have tried drugs or steroids to improve their performance in the game" (3). At this high percentage, about one in five athletes are considered "cheaters". Jacob Beck believes that "using steroids is not cheating if a whole generation of the best and most promising athletes have been doing it" (5). There is no reason to continue trying to catch steroid users when so many athletes take them. All major league sports are filled with steroid use to some extent. It is impossible to have a perfectly "clean" sport without eliminating a good percentage of its players. Since steroids already have a major presence in major league sports and there is no way to ever completely get rid of them, steroid use should be legalized. By legalizing steroids, athletes would no longer have to worry about unsafe or risky suppliers; with prescriptions from doctors, steroids would be safe for the athletes, and users would be less likely to abuse them. Also, the playing fields for all sports would be more equal than they have ever been in a long time. By creating an equal playing field, sport records would be more meaningful and there would be much fewer arguments for cheating or an unfair record. With an increase in muscle strength, there would be fewer injuries and more quality performances, which would make fans more inclined to go to a game knowing there was going to be a great display of strength and athleticism.
In 1935, German scientists developed anabolic steroids as a way to treat hypogonadism or testosterone deficiency. Through scientific experiment and studies the...

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...ia has told them. The legalization of steroids in sports would not only have positive effects on the fans and players but also on the sport itself. Steroids would not only create better, but safer games. Many of the steroid arguments about players would subside and overall the playing fields for athletes would be more equal, and would yield greater competition. While steroids have had a presence in sports, they will only continue to be around and create a bigger and bigger presence unless something is done. Since taking asteroids out of every sport is nearly impossible, the only way to keep the game fair may be to legalize steroids. The legalization of steroids does not mean that every player has to take them, it is still a choice, it just means that players have the opportunity to take them and try to increase their athletic ability without getting in trouble.