Monday, March 3, 2014
ARR # 2 Period 3
View the BBC video on blood doping and then read the article on Lance Armstrong. In the space below, leave a comment. You should react to the article AS WELL AS your classmates' comments. Feel free to pose questions that will invigorate the conversation. To get you started, think about the following question: Do you feel that blood doping should be illegal? What are the ethical issues surrounding blood doping whether it be autologous or homologous?
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The performance enhancing drugs used by athletes have so many more casualties than benefits. I think the blood doping is the most disturbing, though I do not understand how the EPO is obtained. Just the idea of putting someone else's blood or some of my own that is aged makes me cringe. I have heard of Testosterone but never grasped how it was used for something other than increasing its levels in men that are older and need it. The side effects they and corticosteriods can have are terrible, anyone who would risk their health in these ways for a contest is ridiculous. The danger is terrifying and yet 80% of the Tour de France medalists alone between 1996 and 2010 were guilty of doping. These men are tampering with their bodies, hormones, and lives. I hope every test needed to detect doping drugs and manipulations of any kind to cheat is developed so no athlete has to go through it again.
ReplyDeleteAthletes are going to great measures in order to win competitions and they are choosing to destroy themselves with the different processes that they chose. Like Jazmin, I think that a test for any kind of cheating should be developed for athletes, but not just the popular athletes that participate in races such as the Tour de France and the Olympics. Instead, athletes across the world should be required to take tests to make sure they're not going against the nature of their body and taking Testosterone or participating in blood doping. If this related more to the lives of every day athletes there may be less illegal activity regarding sports since the standards to go pro or be considered the best won't be influenced by illegal substances. Personally I think that athletes that take performance enhancing drugs or participate in illegal activities in order to win should not be considered athletes because they don't actually have the dedication it takes to be an athlete. Although Lance Armstrong admitted to blood doping and various other activities in order to win the Tour de France, should he have faced harsher consequences? Should there be stronger ramifications enforced on athletes in order to prevent such activity from taking place ?
ReplyDeleteWatching the video, I was very disturbed at the idea of putting someone else's blood inside of yours in order to enhance performance skills and to exercise longer. To me, that seems like it is kind of defeating the whole purpose of working out. isn't the purpose of working out is to make your bones stronger so you can be more healthier and work better? Like Jazmin and Courtney said, I think there should be a test for athletes to take if they are suspected cheating. If they are cheating, that is not fair to other athletes who actually try their hardest to be the best they can be without using performance drugs. Also, what Courtney said, athletes who use performance drugs are not real athletes because they clearly do not think they are able to have what it takes to me a real athlete. Blood doping should be illegal it's not right, nor fair for other athletes, and blood doping can catch up to the users and could end up hurting them in the future. In general, performance drugs only lessen the athlete's ability to be the best they can be. If people who use performance drugs truly wanted to be athletes, they would put in the dedication and hard work without them. Just a question: do people who have give their blood to these athletes have to volunteer to do so, and do you think they are okay with it?
ReplyDeleteThis video and article made me feel sick. Other than the fact that I'm terrified of needles, just the idea of unneeded blood transfusions is gross to me. It is so dangerous because of the possible cardiovascular problems, and I agree with both Jazmin and Courtney that the costs outweigh the benefits of blood doping. A person who is willing to risk their health with blood doping or drug use for a sports achievement is insane, and like Courtney said, should not even be considered an athlete. These people could instead be donating blood rather than using it for cheating purposes, if they were not using other performance enhancing drugs. Blood doping should be illegal. Those who do this and compete are cheating and making sports unfair to athletes who train hard for competitions. I hope scientists find a way to detect all forms of blood doping eventually, and punish those who do it.
ReplyDeleteThis article left me disgusted of the athletes that choose to use performance enhancing drugs. I don't think that what they are doing to their bodies is necessary or beneficial either. The praise and awards that are won after taking performance enhancing drugs do not outweigh the side effects of the drugs in my opinion. I agree with Jazmin that people who choose to do this are ridiculous. As Madison said, I agree that they need other tests that will help improve the detection of ANY performance enhancing drugs. People who participate in them are ruining the sports for other people. The article said that many athletes have left their sports because they do not want to be involved with the drugs. I fear that if they don't put a stronger band on performance enhancing drugs then the sport will become about how good you can change yourself to become faster rather than about how good you actually are. In 9th grade my French class talked about the Tour de France and I remember thinking how great Lance Armstrong was for his achievements. The whole idea of these drugs and his involvement has changed my opinion drastically.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read the article all I could think about was in my 9th grade French class, like Olivia said, and how no one believed that Lance Armstrong could use performance enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France. I think it is disgusting that someone is willing to put someone else’s blood into their bodies, mostly because needles really scare me. Also, by using needles, diseases can be easily spread. And it’s not like blood doping is done in a hospital where everything is sterile. As Courtney said, these athletes should not even be considered real athletes because they depend on modern medication for talent, rather than pure talent that everyone else uses. There needs to be a better system in finding everyone who uses any type of performance enhancing drug because it is completely unfair to the people who they are competing against and those who watch and look up to them as idols. Anyone who is caught using blood doping needs to be banned from the Olympics, Tour de France, and any other international or national sporting event,
ReplyDeleteIt is the best feeling in the world to win something: the rush of adrenaline and excitement. Nothing can beat that. However, the best feeling of all is knowing that you could accomplish something on your own without anything helping you. In Lance Armstrong's case, he had the adrenaline rush and excitement but did not accomplish this without the use of any performance enhancing drugs, along with 80% of the other Tour De France contestants, as Jazmin had pointed out. When watching the video, I was mortified. Prior to watching the video, I had little knowledge about blood doping but more knowledge about other popular performance enhancing drugs. From the article, I think I understand more what drugs there are out there. Once I found out what was being done, I was astonished. What disgusts me most was when the USADA found a way to test for homologous blood doping, athletes discovered autologous blood doping and used it like it was nothing. A race is a race for a reason, meaning its purpose is to exemplify a person's agility, power, skill, and more. How can an athlete use enhancing drugs? An athlete is supposed to be a role model for those who aspire to be him or her, so why compromise your integrity? As Courtney had said, these people should not be considered athletes but rather posers. Honestly, I am glad that there are serious side effects to using the drugs because they should be punished as now the integrity of competitions is now sacrificed and others are left to conform. However, with the rate athletes are going, next thing you know there will be a new way of enhancing one's performance. What is more rewarding: losing and knowing that you did not cheat or winning and knowing that you won with the help of performance enhancing drugs?
ReplyDeleteBeing an avid baseball fan, I am familiar with usage of steroids and human growth hormones to improve one's performance on the field. It is one of the most controversial topics in the MLB today. Similar to Emily, I thought the methods seen in the video were pretty disgusting and it is hard to imagine how an athlete could do something like that. However, society puts so much pressure on their favorite athletes to live up to expectations that the athletes have no where else to turn but to performance enhancing drugs. So I raise a question: does a part of the reason why athletes use performance enhancing drugs fall on the fans?
ReplyDeleteI am utterly disgusted with any athlete who chooses to use blood doping. The methods in the video were gross! I agree with Michael that an athlete who wins without methods such as theses should feel even prouder of themselves, but I also agree with FInbar that there is so much pressure on athletes to perform well that I can understand why they would do this however it is not smart to risk your health. This immediately reminded me of the modeling industry (Models are athletes) and their form blood doping-horrible practices of extreme and unhealthy diets. Many models use this performance enhancing "drug" to better their careers but the models who have their shape from "fair playing of the game" deserve to be regarded as better than models who "cheat". However both practices are completely understandable. One day you're in, and the next you're out.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to my other classmates, I remember when I first heard the news of Lance Armstrong's using performance-enhancing drugs. Despite the media's suspicion of Lance Armstrong before he confessed, it was very weird to hear him officially admit to it on Oprah. This article reminds me of when the famous wrestler John Cena was asked if he ever used steroids and he responded with “I can’t tell you that I haven’t, but you’ll never be able to prove that I have.” Clearly, he is giving a subtle hint that he had used steroids to start his WWE career. This also shocked me as well because he is such an idolized wrestler in today's society. Just like John Cena, Lance Armstrong was and still is looked up to. It is strange to hear that these athletes cheated their way to fame. How can society continuously pressure kids into being honesty citizens if their role models are using drugs to get to the top? Also, it really does make you realize the extreme extent people will go to be the best. Whether it is plastic surgery or blood doping, people will not stop until they look and perform until they can taste victory even if that means cheating their way there. This also changes my whole perspective of celebrities and athletes I look up to. If Lance Armstrong used methods like drug doping, what other idols have also used similar procedures and have not yet admitted to it yet? Does a true and natural athlete’s endurance even exist? Despite the disgust many of us are feeling, in a way, this does make Lance Armstrong look like a better person now that he has finally come clean. Of course his decisions were wrong but his confession and apology makes him look extremely brave.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everyone that said that they were disgusted in the athletes that decide to use methods like blood doping in order to enhance how they preform. In all honesty, I think that it is completely immoral and athletes like Lance Armstrong should lose their "athlete" title. Like Finbar, I immediately thought of the problem and debate over how baseball players decide to use steroids and I also thought about the article that we read earlier during the school year about the person that used steroids so much that he eventually ended up hurting himself overtime. Before athletes use enhancements they should do some research in order to try to completely understand how they will impact their bodies. However, I disagree with Johnna when she said that it made Lance Armstrong seem like a better person when he came clean because I think they he only did it in order to preserve whatever he could of the rest of his career while he still could.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first watched the video, I couldn't believe that people would do things like that just to become a better athlete. I know that sports are very important to some people, but I can't imagine that anyone would ever used methods like blood doping when they know it could ruin their career and, potentially, their life. I also agree with Kelsey that Lance Armstrong only came clean to try and preserve the rest of his career. To me, any athlete who uses drugs should not be considered an athlete and should be stripped of any awards that he/she had won while using drugs.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading the article and seeing the video I had the same reaction as almost everyone else. I thought it was unbelievable that anyone would do things like blood doping just to win in sports or work out more. I agree with Jasmin because I do not understand why someone would do any type of these things when there are more side effects that are harmful than it would actually help them. I also agree with Sarah that any athlete that takes anything to improve their performance should not be considered an athlete but seen as a cheater. Overall, I think blood doping and anything else to enhance physical performance is disgusting and is unfair to true athletes.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of blood doping and using steroids to achieve real awards is very artificial and frankly, is very disappointing. I was not surprised that many men actually use them, but the fact that these people can proudly lie and deceive their fans of the county is shameful. I am completely against the ideas of blood doping and using corticosteroids. These things all deprive the real athletes who actually do their best to stay in shape and try to win these awards for real. I remember the movie Gattaca we watched I class, and the only reason I was with the protagonist was because he was discriminated against; however, the reasons were to protect him. Other than the idea of people trying to my be discriminated against, there is no real reason to blood dope or use any steroids. I am a huge fan of sports and frequently people are on Sportscenter and the news talking about how these famous and highly awarded athletes have been using these drugs for large amounts of their careers. Not only that, but according to the video, these athletes over the years have been concocting new ways to actually hide their blood doping and other forms of using drugs to enhance their performances. This is very disappointing and I am ashamed to have been informed of the dangerous and harmful addictions of these famous athletes.
ReplyDeleteOverall I was disgusted after watching the video and reading the article as you are cheating and depriving someone who plays the sport cleanly to win which is inhumane. I still believe athletes will still cheat and find new ways to cheat the system, so they can be one step ahead of everyone else, but winning does not feel the same when you cheat. I respectively disagree with Colleen as they should still be considered athletes as they still put in hard work and we do not know the amount of work they put in, but the athletes still give up many things to achieve their dreams and still deserve the respect to be called an athlete. From that they should still be deprived of what they have conquered on their career and they should apologize to other athletes. Overall we still do not know who played the game fairly, since athletes can very easily lie to make themselves look better, but cheating in sports is disgraceful, since the games are made to be played for fun.
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