Enhancement Sports Industry

773 Words4 Pages

BACKGROUND AND TRACKING “Human enhancement refers to the use of medicine or technology to improve people’s appearance or capacities beyond what we would consider normal or healthy. Examples of human enhancements include cosmetic surgery, mood altering substances, drugs to improve physical strength and stamina, genetic modifications to ensure future children are healthier or more intelligent and medical procedures to dramatically prolong our lifespan” (rte, 2015). “Human history can, of course, be read as a broadly continuous story of enhancement. Pulleys, levers and fork‑lift trucks enhance human muscular power; bicycles, cars, speedboats and planes increase our speed of transport; spectacles, telescopes and microscopes improve our vision; …show more content…

In sports, as in other human activities, excellence has until now been achievable only by disciplined effort. However, the quest for ultimate enhancement has brought about the use of performance-enhancing drugs within the sporting industry. There are several types of performance-enhancing drugs: anabolic steroids, stimulants, human growth hormone and supplements. “Anabolic steroids are synthetic substances that stimulate proteins that help build non-fat muscle mass, helping an athlete become stronger and able to train and play for longer periods of time”, “Stimulants help boost an athlete's energy level, which is helpful after strenuous training.” “Human growth hormone is taken by athletes, for improved endurance and strength, although there is no definitive proof that it boosts athletic performance” (CNN, 2015). Given the potential financial rewards of athletic success, it’s no surprise that we’ve been witness to a seemingly endless procession of allegations and scandals. “Sluggers Barry Bonds (steroids) and Alex Rodriguez (human growth hormone); cyclists Lance Armstrong (EPO), Floyd Landis (testosterone) and Alberto Contador (clenbuterol); runners Tyson Gay (steroids) and Justin Gatlin (testosterone); and golfer Vijay Singh (IGF-1) are only some of the more prominent professionals implicated in such behavior” (Journalistsresource, 2015). In creating unfair advantages, doping distorts the level playing field in sporting