Should steroids be allowed in sports?
By Jetrin Anderson, Rhiannon Thorp and Mattias Lindell
NEGATIVE EFFECTS Taking steroids inhibits your body's ability to create natural hormones. This can lead to lowering of HDL (good cholesterol) and the rise of LDL (bad cholesterol). It can also slow down liver activity and be a part of cardiovascular problems. The imbalance of hormones can cause men's testicles to shrink and produce excess estrogen to develop breasts. The testosterone can increase the chances of male-pattern baldness in both men and women. It can stunt growth, especially in adolescents. It can cause sterility.
The raised cholesterol leads to blocked arteries, raising the blood pressure and increasing the chance of a heart attack. Withdrawal from steroids can lead to severe depression.
POSITIVE EFFECTS (Why people take them) Steroids cause muscle tissue to repair much faster than the body would allow. This means that an athlete can train harder and more often, leading to an increase in muscle mass. This gives professional athletes an advantage over the competition and possibly make or break their career. This could mean a 7-figure contract.
Some of the negative effects of steroids can be reversed. The imbalance of hormones caused by steroids will stabilize over time, and high blood pressure can be kept under control if it is monitored regularly. Cardio-vascular problems, such as enlarged ventricles, are seen in athletes whose sport would already affect the heart, and would use steroids anyway (powerlifters, body-builders etc.) The slowing of liver activity does not damage the liver, and will recover over time. Most of the steroid cases linked with psychosis showed that the people involved already had phycotic problems before taking steroids
Notable Users Who Have Been Caught Ben Johnson He was a Canadian sprinter. He set world records at the 1987 World Championships in Athletics and the 1988 Summer Olympics for 100m, but was later disqualified because he was found to of taken steroids. At first he denied using steroids, but eventually admitted that he had been taking steroids since 1981. After his suspension ended in 1981 he raced in the Hamilton Indoor Games, and then later qualified for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. However he had excessive levels of testosterone. He was banned for life by the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federation).
Michelle Smith She was an Irish Swimmer who swam in the 1996 Olympics and won 3 Golds, and 1 Bronze. The year before she set 9 Irish records. 2 years after the Olympics, when asked for a urine sample, Michelle Smith drank an excessive amount of alcohol, thus tampering the test results, and an actual test could not be conducted. Because of her actions FENA banned her from swimming for 4 years. She was never actually tested positive for any performance enhancing drug, and therefore none of her medals, titles or records were stripped from her.
YIS Athletes Responses Mr Disher No, because its unfair to the other competitors and it should be about natural performance. But it would be interesting to see how fast someone could run 100m if they all took performance enhancing substances. Kenji Tanoto No, because sports are suppose to be competitive, and test their ability, and if steroids are used it enhances their performance, and is not fair for the people who actually work hard, and earn their ability.