The War Against Anabolic Steroids In Major League Baseball

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The War Against Anabolic Steroids Does anyone approve of performance-enhancing steroid drugs? Surely the list of negative health effects would scare any sensible person away from them. But are steroids really as harmful as the media portrays them? The truth is, many athletic stars outspokenly use them. And when it comes to professional sports, particularly baseball, most people have become apathetic towards the issue. This is likely due to the fact that the use of steroids is exceedingly widespread in baseball, and many of the fans’ favorite players have been exposed. The shock factor has simply worn off. With a new crop of players abusing steroids every year, maybe it is time to look ahead and lift the ban on steroid drugs in Major League Baseball (MLB). Legalization of steroids in the MLB would result in numerous benefits. First of all, it would generate greater interest in the game, help the MLB grow financially, and would improve the fairness of the game. Furthermore, lifting the ban on steroid use would put an end to the humiliation that athletes experience when their steroid use is exposed, and perhaps most importantly, legalization would create a safe environment for the players. Baseball is entertainment. It is all about out-performing the past and setting ridiculous standards to get the population more interested in the show. What culture values high achievement, intense competition, and perfection more than the American society? During the nineties, when steroid use became evident in the MLB, some baseball stars’ performance began to improve remarkably (Solberg 96). For example, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa amazed fans with their incredible home run records (Smith, par. 5). Another major league star, Ken Caminiti, improved his game vastly when he started taking steroids for a shoulder injury (Solberg 93). Additionally, major league player Jose Canseco attributes his successful career to using steroids, stating, “Besides the boost to your strength and confidence level, you start running faster” (Solberg 93). By allowing players better access to steroids, more players would be able to have hitting records like Canseco, who hit over 400 home runs in his career (Solberg 93). During the steroid era of the nineties, athletes were using steroids and beating incredible records. According to Chris Smith, a sportswriter for Forbes Magazine, during this time of improved performance, Americans became more interested and involved I the game (Smith, par. 5). Fans were excited about baseball again. It appears that steroids actually saved the Major League Baseball industry in the nineties. Prior to the steroid era, the MLB was suffering a decline in attendance and television viewing (Lenhardt, par. 5). According to Illinois Business Law Journal, baseball franchises were suffering financially because of this drop in fan participation (Lenhardt, par. 5). Then, when players’ performance through steroid use improved, MLB franchises grew immensely—increasing from an average of $140 million in 1994 to $332 million in 2004 (Lenhardt, par. 5). If steroids attract people to baseball, then why not give every player access to the drugs and therefore set even better records? It stands to reason that the MLB should take advantage of this huge business opportunity and give the American people more of what they want. Permit steroids and the Major League Baseball industry will boom with success. Unquestionably allowing steroids is a huge business opportunity that is currently being overlooked. Legalizing steroids would also give all players an equal chance, making the game fair. Players who use steroids have an unfair advantage over their more honest peers. It is obvious that athletes on steroids perform better than those who are not. This was clearly illustrated in 1996 when Dan Naulty made the major leagues, while his teammate who did not use performance-enhancing steroids failed to achieve this same success (Verducci 38). As long as
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