Performance Enhancing Drugs Essay

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The use of performance-enhancing drugs (PED's) and blood doping has been a controversial issue in the world of sports for decades. The question of whether or not to continue testing and banning athletes who use these substances has been a topic of debate among athletes, coaches, and sports organizations. In the movie Icarus, director Bryan Fogel explores the world of doping in sports and the impact that it has on the athletes who participate in it. Through the film, we see firsthand the consequences of PED use and the danger it poses to not only the athletes but also to the integrity of sports as a whole. One of the main arguments for continuing to test and ban athletes who use PED's is that it ensures fairness and integrity in sports. As former Tour de France winner Greg LeMond states in the movie, "If we don't have rules, …show more content…

Furthermore, testing and banning athletes who use PED's sends a message that cheating and breaking the rules are not tolerated in sports. This helps to maintain the integrity of the sport and the trust that fans have in the athletes they are watching. Another argument for continuing to test and ban athletes who use PED's is the danger that these substances pose to the health and well-being of the athletes who use them. As Dr. Don Catlin, a leading expert in the field of doping in sports, states in the movie, "This is not a game. This is not a hobby. This is playing with your health, and you're playing with your life." PED's and blood doping can have serious and even deadly side effects, and many athletes who use these substances do so without fully understanding the risks they are taking. By testing and banning athletes who use these substances, sports organizations are taking steps to protect the health and well-being of their