Why do sportspersons take performance-enhancing drugs?

[Editor]

Why do sportspersons resort to performance-enhancing drugs being well aware that a positive dope test would very likely put an end to their careers?

Just a couple of days after the silver medal being won by Rajyavardhan Rathore, something very shameful has happened for India. Two of the Indian weightlifters, Pratima Kumari and Chanu, have tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. This came as a shock and is a huge embarrassment for Indians. Pratima claims that she is innocent and has put all the blame on her Indian and Russian coaches. According to her they asked her to take injections when she complained of back pain. She believes that those injections given by them are the cause of the positive dope test. God only knows the truth.

Being able to contend at the Olympics requires extensive training at par with the international standards. So much money needs to be spent on every player. There are lack of both facilities and funds in India, as such common people do not even encourage their children to pursue career in sports. They would rather see their child as a doctor or an engineer rather than a sportsperson. Thus, those few who in spite of all these odds put forth by the society do manage to reach to the Olympics are under tremendous pressure to perform and excel. And not only for the Indians, but also for each sportsperson who participates in International games, being caught in doping is a big stigma and the probable end of their careers.

Recently, I heard about a new concept called genetic doping. In this case, the substances injected alter the DNA of the person and as a result the body itself starts producing performance-enhancing chemicals. This is very difficult to deduct though I believe that experts will find a way out soon. It seems like a vicious circle to me, with players finding out new ways to fool and administrators, and experts discovering new ways to perform the tests. But in all this I wonder where has the sportsman spirit gone…is participating in the game no longer important and the players can go to any extent to win a medal.

Do the players no longer care for their reputation…What are the most probable reasons for sportspeople to resort to performance enhancing drugs, in spite of being well aware of the fact that they will test positive…Does the pressure of competition blinds them or there is any other reason…I sometimes wonder whether they are not in love with what they are doing and want a instant formula for success. What is your gutfeel on the issue?

[garcons]

Something really to ponder about:

Gone are the days when people played or worked to win. Its all about money in the new generation. As someone has rightfully stated "Money does talk". People do not mind loosing matches as long as they are getting paid well enough. Infact, it is also said sportsmen earn more to loose than to win.

Whereas in Olympics, i really feel the sportsman ship is all gone. The soul aim for all is wining, by hook or crook, and thus the intake of drugs. It indeed is very shameful to be caught in such a situation, but who really knows what the truth is.

Pratima claims she didnt know anything about the drugs in her body, & is blaiming everything on her coaches but can we really be sure of her statement. I highly doubt it.

[dinesh1947]

I totally agree with Charu, but I would like to add one more aspect to it - i.e the lack of Awareness. Though they know the consequences, most of the sports persons here are not briefed by their coaches on the list of banned stuffs,and when they are tested Positive , they simply plead ignorance. Just a year back tennis player 'Aparna Popat' had consumed a D'cold Tablet which supposedly contained few of the banned chemical substance resulting her being tested positive.

The other day, I came across a news capsule, where they showed that consumption of such drugs are common in Punjab and its outskirts, though they are aware of its side affects. Reason being, passing the physical qualifciation rounds of the state police force or getting into the Indian Army as these are the only two jobs they can get besides farming to earn their livelihood.

I dont want to side track this issue, but if you see the economical conditions of our sportsmens .. there may be few who are from affluent backgrounds but for majority of them, recognition or a medal is the only way to get sponserships. The best example would be the case of Karnam Malleshwari. She used to be (literally) a rag picker.. but an olympic medal has made her a household name..and instant riches came her way. Who knows, she may have got through the screening process last time and couldn't get through this time. who knows .. who cares ??

[Editor]

I agree with what garcons and Dinesh have to say...In fact, Dinesh even gives a new dimension to the whole situation...and to be frank i was not myself aware of this aspect.

This gives a whole new perspective to the situation...Are some of the sportspersons so ignorant that they resort to self-medication...as 'Aparna Popat' did...Shouldn't they be under strict medical supervision if they are chosen to represent the country....And i am not talking about the general economic condition here, because once a player qualifies to go to a specific tournament, s/he has some amount of backing of funds..

My gutfeel is that the lack of awareness is even more shameful as the player prepares with all the good intentions and if tested positive is barred from the games. This is even more demotivating than taking drugs knowingly.

Latest what i heard about Pratima and Chanu case is that their coaches both russian and Indian have been suspended for what happened at the olymics. Pratima has claimed that she was not aware of the medicine she was registered and had safely put the ball in the court of the coaches. But we sure might have lost an olympic medal in all this chaos.

[Matt]

Something very interesting..i feel that the sportspersons are blinded by the ambition and can go to any extreme to get a medal...They can also put their conscience aside in such matters and can defy the rules...the genetic doping has also opened a new era where the sports persons can not care about testing positive and thus court the so called success.