I've read over the years some people argue that Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) should just be legalised and allowed in sports because of the fact that they're so rife and difficult to stop that the authorities might as well even the playing field and allow all athletes to take them legally. With recent failed drug tests, in particular in the heavyweight division, it seems a good opportunity to point out why such a view is utterly nonsensical.
1 - Sport welcomes children:
Most high profile athletes began their sporting endeavours as children. Most world champions in boxing, for example, didn't begin as adults, but as children. What sort of a message would legalising cheating in this way send to children? These children wouldn't just be taught that it's okay to cheat once all grown up, they'll learn that it's okay to cheat even in childhood. How long would it take before teenagers are doping? What would become of sport? Firstly, sport is good for the body and hence encouraged. Secondly, sport brings people together in a common goal (for example, many people go cycling together or play sports with their friends). Instead, sport would descend into a farcical spectacle where the sole aim is that of victory by all means necessary. Such an eventuality would be an abysmal outcome for the world of sport.
2 - Forced PED usage to compete:
How would you like to be forced to take potentially dangerous drugs just to compete fairly? That is precisely what legalising PEDs would do. If every unscrupulous athlete already taking PEDs is then joined by a whole host of new unscrupulous athletes, the athletes who genuinely want to compete fairly will be left with a difficult decision to make: either take PEDs in order to compete more successfully or don't take PEDs and basically drift out of contention? In a sport as dangerous as boxing, legalising PEDs would send out a hideous message to society. Not only would it be stating that boxing officials don't care that boxers are developing their bodies to unnatural and potentially dangerous lengths, but that any subsequent injuries resulting from such developments would simply be 'part and parcel' of the new direction boxing has headed in.
3 - Subsequent boxing tragedies:
Having signalled such a hideous message to society, what then happens when a boxer subsequently dies in the ring? Sure, some people in the sport will argue that boxers also died in the ring prior to PEDs being legalised. But, surely massive PED usage will increase the likelihood of such tragedies occurring because of the fact that PEDs allow athletes to increase their physical capacities to unnatural levels. It would also send out a message that boxing is basically nothing more than a blood sport that cares little for the well-being of its participants. I imagine calls for boxing to be banned would become much louder.
4 - Encouraging cutting corners:
We already know how some boxers cut corners to prepare for fights. We've all heard of fighters starving themselves and dangerously draining their bodies of fluids in order to make weight for a fight. Would legalising PEDs not just go that one bit further and encourage even less dedication to proper preparation?
5 - Separate competitions:
Some athletes will simply never take PEDs, even if they know that the majority of other athletes in their chosen sport are taking PEDs. Some athletes are dedicated to their sports and don't want to be taking potentially dangerous drugs. Legalising PEDs would perhaps 'help' those unscrupulous athletes who would like to use PEDs compete 'fairer' against those already taking PEDs. But, legalising PEDs would also perhaps encourage clean athletes to break away from their chosen sports to create 'clean' versions of their sports. This might be a difficult venture for clean athletes to partake in due to the ineptitude of most boxing authorities today, but it's a much better idea than legalising PEDs!
