In recent years, there has been a rise in the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports. What are the consequences of doping for athletes? What measures should be taken to combat this issue?
Band 9 IELTS essay sample
More and more sportspersons use performance enhancing drugs these days. While these substances give them a quick boost of energy and improve their on-field experience, doping can lead to fatal health problems or even untimely death. Creating awareness among athletes about the harmful consequences of using these products will certainly help. It is equally, if not more, important to give exemplary punishment to those caught doping. They should be banned for life and that will discourage others from taking these drugs.
Sports are now big business. Successful sportspersons can earn astronomical salaries. Needless to say, there is too much competition to win. While some play it fair, others resort to shortcuts. They take performance enhancing substances. When some athletes enhance their performance with the help of banned substances, they are not only increasing their risk of stroke and cardiac arrest but also cheating others who play it fairly. They also betray their fans. Sport, after all, is a celebration of raw human strength. Hence, doping should have no place in sports.
Regular use of performance enhancing drugs leads to addiction and insomnia. An athlete who uses these drugs will not be able to perform well when they do not dope. This creates a vicious cycle as once they start using these drugs they cannot get out of this mess even if they want to. Consumption of these drugs also subjects a sportsperson to increased risks of heart attacks and strokes.
A simple blood or urine test can easily detect the presence of banned substances in a person’s body. That means, it is quite easy to catch athletes using these drugs. Still, doping is rampant among sportspersons and that clearly shows that sports associations of many countries also support this practice. This has to change. Athletes participating in international events should be tested before each event and those caught should be banned for life. Sports organizations encouraging such illegal activities too should be prevented from sending their players to major events.
In short, doping might help athletes improve their performance, but it also makes them prone to developing various health problems. Worse still, it prevents honest athletes from winning. To discourage doping athletes should be regularly tested and those caught doping should be banned for life.
