We want to have something to aspire to, someone to admire. This has an effect to the whole of society. If our famous athlete on the television jumps four meters high, you'll have millions of little boys and girls trying to jump as high as they can. These children will be healthier, happier and better overall because of this. This is the true value of spectator sports: not which records are broken, but the feelings of excellence and energy it creates. If sports were only about breaking records, we would be shooting up anabolic steroids before every match and doping would be allowed. But breaking records and wanting to achieve better results by using dangerous drugs is not an example we wish to portray. Sports are all about health and taking your body to its potential without purposely hurting yourself. Athletes themselves are the representation of human health, vibrancy and fulfillment of potential.This is why no olympic sport exists where you are allowed to cut your own arms or legs off in order to make the cut for a weight division or race. And this is why doping is not allowed. Sports are also about fair play. Fair play is defined by having all factors and circumstances around the athletes equal. In other words, by having a level playing field on which athletes stand out from each other purely through their own skills. If an enhancement is taken by someone (endangering his/her life), and not all of them, then not only is it unfair but it sends a message. This is why when an athlete is caught using illegal steroids or growth hormones, they should have all of their awards and records stripped away because if we let them try to redeem themselves it would portray our system as swayable, it sends a dangerous message, and natural born athletes will not have a fair chance to unveil their talents on the record board. In our society today, there are laws. These laws are not to deprive us of fun, or make us miserable. Laws are solely made to protect you. One of these laws is The Controlled Substances Act (CSA) as of February 27, 1991. Under this legislation, anabolic steroids are defined as any drug or hormonal substance chemically and pharmacologically related to testosterone (other than estrogens, progestins, and corticosteroids) that promotes muscle growth. It states that the possession or sale of anabolic steroids without a valid prescription is illegal. Simple possession of illicitly obtained anabolic steroids carries a maximum penalty of one year in prison and a minimum $1,000 fine if this is an individual’s first drug offense. The maximum penalty for trafficking is five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 if this is the individual’s first felony drug offense. If this is the second felony drug offense, the maximum period of imprisonment and the maximum fine both double. While the above listed penalties are for federal offenses, individual states have also implemented fines and penalties for illegal use of anabolic steroids. If we allowed an famous athlete with a record to redeem himself after getting caught for such offenses, what would this say about our legal system? It would say that we are swayable. The definition of swayable is to be influenced or caused to swerve to or from a purpose or opinion. This means that if people heard about the law system swaying the rules for some athletes and allowing them to try for their records again it would portray a weak government. It is common sense to know that no stable system has a swayable government. when an athlete is caught using illegal steroids or growth hormones, they should have all of their awards and records stripped away because if we let them try to redeem themselves it would portray our system as swayable Cyclist Lance Armstrong was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles in 2012 after the International Cycling Union decided that he was a ringleader of a doping program on his winning cycling team.
