Drugs in Professional Sports

Sports have long been part of cultures worldwide because they require athletic ability, positive competitiveness, leadership building and most of all, fun. These sports are traditional games in which all can enjoy and benefit of the many positives that these "athletic competitions" require. Many athletes compete in sports at a very young age, to stay fit, to have fun with friends, but also for pride, ego boost in which they hope to achieve greater athletic success as they get older, faster, bigger and stronger. Many of these "phenomenal" contestants compete at higher levels and even some are "lucky" enough to compete professionally in sports such as football and baseball. These "professional" athletes are now at a talent level where even the best may not succeed. This, they often have a tough task of living up to expectations both physically, socially and mentally. While competing in these various sports leagues, they plan to accelerate physical and mental qualities so that they can be more of a "valuable" asset to their teams and with this value, comes publicity, fame and money.

Mark McGwire, St. Louis, 2001. This picture was ta...

North American (U.S. and Canada) cities in which a...

University of Miami head football coach Howard Sch...

Many of these athletes are pressured into accelerating their athletic performance; others do it for the same emotion that initially started their career... "fun." Most often, athletes work hard to stay fit and complete their individual goals, but with power, come a price. Many of these athletes quickly turn to a quick, easy, cheap and convenient way to hasten their athletic performance and relax themselves, and that is the form of drugs. These illicit drugs are being illegally consumed in these "professional" sports leagues right under the "watchful" eyes of the Players Association. These drugs not only pose as a problem for these athletes, but also to kids that want to compete at a higher level. The drugs in professional sports...