by Keith Redfern

Created on: November 23, 2009   Last Updated: June 22, 2010

Steroids allowed in professional sports? To quote John McEnroe, "You cannot be serious!"

I think this is what Americans might call a no-brainer. The fact that no one has written on the yes side of this debate, certainly up to now, gladdens the heart. How 18% of voters can think yes, I cannot imagine.

The very fact that this debate topic can be taken seriously speaks volumes for the state of professional sports in the world. I am coming to the conclusion that there should be no such thing as professional sports, and that the two words should be considered mutually exclusive.

A sport always used to be fun. It provided a way to compete against others in a way which was mutually beneficial from a fitness point of view and from an enjoyment point of view. The introduction of money into the arena has changed sports forever.

Steroids are dangerous and there is a list of side effects as long as your overdeveloped arm, some of them potentially dangerous. Why should someone wish to risk a potentially serious side-effect? For money and glory, in that order.

I should think that everyone knows by now that steroids can assist in the development of muscles, and anyone involved in certain types of sport may be tempted to use them in order to improve their performance. But in order to make this decision, a sportsman or woman has to be totally without conscience - prepared to go to any length in order to beat an opponent or win a medal. This is not sport, it is obsession, and it is fueled to an extent by the potential financial gain in most sports these days.

Some performers have been led to offer heart-rending apologies for their past steroid use, but the damage is already done. Their past performances and reputation are forever tainted. Children who modeled themselves on these idols have been disillusioned.

Sponsors have been let down, and could perhaps be forgiven for asking for their money back. Why not? No sponsor is likely to have offered financial support to a person who is breaking one of the cardinal rules of sports - illegal use of substances and therefore cheating.

However, despite all these strong feelings, the governing bodies of sports remain forgiving. Sportsmen and women who are proven to have used substances for performance enhancement are only banned temporarily. What sort of message does this send to other sports people and to children and young people?

It is clearly worth taking and using substances, as even if caught, there is only going to be short ban imposed. And of course great lengths are taken to avoid the detection of illegal usage.

If sport is to remain what its name implies, sporting, drug use has to be totally banned at all levels, and all users banned for life, whatever their level of performance and prior achievements.

A complete zero tolerance attitude is required. Tests should be carried out on all competitors, particularly winners, at all levels of sport, and a life ban should be imposed on any proved to have used substances, particularly steroids. If there is a risk of losing a whole career, perhaps people might think twice.

But don't just ban the sports people, ban the doctors and others who recommend steroids. The pushers of illegal drug use in sports should be banned from sports participation and risk losing their licence to practice.

There can be no half measures. Taking steroids in any sports, not just professional sports, is unacceptable and must be stamped out by whatever means.

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