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Morality of steroids -AKA - Doping:Athletes::Plastic Surgery:Miss Universe

post #1 of 98
5/20/10 at 1:46pm
Thread Starter 
Steroids can be harmful to the body. But let's be clear - that is not the reason people get upset over athletes using them. They get upset because it gives the athlete an "unnatural advantage". What is the difference, morally, between using steroids as an athlete and getting plastic surgery to get an advantage in a Miss Universe competition. Further, normal human testosterone levels range from 300 to 1000. Is it cheating for someone at 300 to use drugs to reach the upper normal limit? Otherwise we reward genetics as much as we reward hard work. Are sports meant to be a celebration of those who won the genetic lottery? Why are victories considered accomplishments then, and not simply the results of a race in which the winner was given a head start anyway? In 50 years, will a cloned athlete (from a genetic winner) be considered more "legal" than an athlete who takes steroids to reach the same hormonal levels as the prior? Why? I'm not laying out an answer here or taking a decided view, but it is something that should be thought about. Often times we label something as inherently wrong without thinking deeper into the issue. The issue becomes clearest when discussing simple individual sports (e.g. track and field, cycling) to remove the noise around "skill" and teammates' ability. Discuss.
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post #2 of 98
5/20/10 at 2:24pm
In my opinion, if an athlete is so dedicated to their sport that they are willing to use steroids or other harmful substances and risk their life for an edge in that sport, more power to them. Steroids should be legal and their use should not be prohibited in any sports.
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post #3 of 98
5/20/10 at 2:25pm
gov't doesn't want big strong people rising up. simple as that.

hostess is dangerous if used in excess. ditto bacon. ditto ibuprofen. ditto everything.
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post #4 of 98
5/20/10 at 2:29pm
take the bus? drive? fly? swim? you are risking your life.

Quote:
Originally Posted by odoreater View Post
In my opinion, if an athlete is so dedicated to their sport that they are willing to use steroids or other harmful substances and risk their life for an edge in that sport, more power to them. Steroids should be legal and their use should not be prohibited in any sports.
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post #5 of 98
5/20/10 at 2:29pm
^^^ That just about nailed it for me.

I see nothing wrong with them. They are being used anyways so why not level the playing and stop with this cat and mouse game and just legalize it.
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post #6 of 98
5/20/10 at 2:56pm
More people are harmed because of the supression of legitimate information about steroids than would probably be harmed if they were administered by professionals. If steroids were properly researched they could probably provide large advances in medical science, but the social censure of them prohibits any real research.

Steroid proscription is a more complicated issue than can be imputed to populist morality. If the potential benefits of research are discerned and argumentation transcends the supposed moral issues, the moral opposition to them will fade from a lack of evidenciary support. Focusing on moral issues is silly -- it's like trying to plow through a concrete wall instead of driving past it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by kunk
take the bus? drive? fly? swim? you are risking your life.

Those are poor analogies.
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post #7 of 98
5/20/10 at 2:59pm
I don't really know how I feel with steroids and sports. I just think that each sport should make their own rules (legal or illegal) and leave it at that. In other words, those fuckheads on Capital Hill have no business getting involved whatsoever.
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post #8 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by BDC2823 View Post
I don't really know how I feel with steroids and sports. I just think that each sport should make their own rules (legal or illegal) and leave it at that. In other words, those fuckheads on Capital Hill have no business getting involved whatsoever.

You realize that anabolic steroids are Schedule III controlled dangerous substances, right? That's why Congress gets involved.
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post #9 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:08pm
yes, obviously leagues cannot deem something illegal okay for them. it starts with our shitty government.

Quote:
Originally Posted by odoreater View Post
You realize that anabolic steroids are Schedule III controlled dangerous substances, right? That's why Congress gets involved.
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post #10 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thekunk07 View Post
yes, obviously leagues cannot deem something illegal okay for them. it starts with our shitty government.
Right, although I guess leagues could just not test for them. But I agree that the problem starts with our shitty government. In that sense, Congress has to be involved.
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post #11 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:12pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by odoreater View Post
You realize that anabolic steroids are Schedule III controlled dangerous substances, right? That's why Congress gets involved.
Don't know much about steroids. Don't really give a fuck either. Also, even though I don't actually use any of them, I don't think drugs should be illegal anyways (but that's another debate). All I'm saying is sports and politics don't mix. Get the politicians the fuck out of sports and let the leagues decide what is legal/illegal. Politicians have more important matters (or one would think) to attend to than if McGwire or Palmeiro used roids. Edit: I understand what you're saying about Congress getting involved because they are currently illegal substances. But like anything else, let the government go after those individual guys for doing something illegal on a lesser level, without Congress itself trying to intervene and clean up baseball.
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post #12 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:13pm
surprised the nba gets no roid hate, the differences between players now and 20 years ago is as astounding as in baseball, training and nutrition aside.
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post #13 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:19pm
I would be surprised if steroid use was widespread in the NBA. Kevin Durant couldn't bench press 185 during his pre-draft workout, and still won Rookie of the Year. Now he's one of the best players in the league. Being in good cardiovascular condition is a lot more important than musculature.
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post #14 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:20pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by thekunk07 View Post
gov't doesn't want big strong people rising up. simple as that.

That might be the dumbest thing ever written. Come one Kunk, you can do better than that.
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post #15 of 98
5/20/10 at 3:20pm
rashard lewis failed a roid test IIRC. karl malone, boozer, bron, amare, i could go on. gasol, prince, durant are more the exception.
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