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Over the past decade, the sports industry has seen its fair share of memorable stories, which makes naming just one as being the “biggest” story in sports seem impossible. From 53 of the 120 universities in the NCAA committing major violations to the record-setting salary deals and prize winnings of athletes such as Alex Rodriguez and Tiger Woods, no sport, professional or amateur was immune to controversy. With the end of baseball’s regular season coming near, the steroids era of Major League Baseball when players were believed to be using performance-enhancing drugs is also brought to mind.
Maybe the story that will forever remain unchanged in the sports industry is society’s increasing pressure and competition for athletes, teams, and leagues to provide bigger and better results and entertainment than in the past. Alex Rodriguez, for example, denied using performance-enhancing drugs in his 2007, 60 Minutes interview, but later admitted to using steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers. His reasoning was the increased pressure to perform. Is this an acceptable excuse for breaking the rules? Of course not, but at what point do we as a society also take responsibility? Let’s face it. Fans want to see their team win. They want to know that the athletes being paid these enormous salaries are earning it, and owners want to know that there will be packed houses and return on investment. But, is the pressure to hit harder, throw faster, jump higher, and perform better so strong that athletes need that extra boost to excite the crowds? Have we created an industry where it is no longer about natural talent? Has the desire to break records, win medals, or be the best over-taken the youthful desire to just be a part of the game and made it impossible to meet expectations?
President George W. Bush once said, “Steroids are bad for sports, they’re bad for players, they’re bad for young people who hold athletes up as role models.” From high school, college, Olympic, and professional athletes, the use of performance-enhancing drugs has plagued the U.S. sports history. As long as there is pressure whether it is to reach a personal goal or to meet the pressures of one of the most competitive industries, there will be new drugs and new challenges to face. The question is, will the biggest stories of the next decade be the controversial, rule-breaking scandals, or will society finally say enough and change their expectations to one of non-acceptance. Will we say it doesn’t matter how great an athlete you are, how many games you win, records you break, or medals you earn there are no second chances, no suspensions, you simply lose?
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