Should performance enhancing drugs be allowed in professional sports? An immediate response to this question may be a resounding "no!" in most social circles, however, doping can bring a lucrative new level of competition to the business.
Thousands of athletes are doing it, are going to do it, or have done it in the past. Some are exposed, others aren't. Some of the "all-time greats" have taken drugs as a mean to step up their game, such as Barry Bonds. Sometimes it seems like there isn't a star in the game of baseball who at least haven't been under scrutiny and allegations, from Arod to Big Papi.
Current MLB rules forbid performance enhancers in pretty much every form. But is this business tossing a sure cash cow? Steroids equate to more homers, more extra base hits, faster runners, more powerful throws, all things fans want to see. It seems like fans are only okay when the curtains have been pulled back, however- Bond's statistical standings were a huge point of controversy for years, asterisk (*) signs seen everywhere he played.
Steroid use is rampant and apparent in the entertainment industry, in everything from Hollywood to the WWE. Essentially what is happening there is you're being sold an image, an idealized version of real life. In ways, such as the 2004 Red Sox post season, sports can seem like a Hollywood fantasy instead of a competition. Drugs could be compared to advanced in technology that help athletes get lower times and generate more exciting plays.
While performance enhancers can create more exciting games abd maybe even the playing field of everyone is using them, they're still dangerous to use and have many side effects. They detract from the original purpose of sports, and fans would be irate if their use was formally incorporated. For these reasons, it's likely you'll never see all your favorite players shooting up, regardless of what it could bring to the game. Tradition dictates another way, and this way it'll stay.
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