Steroid use in sports inexcusable, By: Blake Lapier

July 10, 2007

In the dictionary, cheating is defined as an act of being dishonest or deceitful. In recent years, cheating has been discussed on many sports channels. In particular, the use of steroids has been a much-debated topic.

Steroids, or synthetics, are a substance that promotes muscle growth. Steroids often are referred to as juice or ’roids.

I often see on television that many athletes have been suspected of taking illegal steroids.

New York Yankee Jason Giambi admitted to a grand jury he had used steroids.

Major Leaguer Rafael Palmero denied taking steroids in front of a congressional panel, but failed a steroids test. He was well on his way to Cooperstown, being in the 3,000 hit club, but that now is in doubt.

If in fact professional players have used steroids — and it seems obvious in some cases they have — it is shameful they have done so. To know they were cheating to try to get an edge on the other players is a disgrace to baseball.

I researched on the Internet and found some alarming numbers. In a study called the 2006 Monitoring the Future Study, 1.6 percent of eighth-graders and 2.7 percent of 12th-graders said they had used steroids at least once.

I also learned that taking steroids can cause liver cancer, heart attacks and an elevated cholesterol level. Injecting steroids by needles can pass along hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

You’ve heard the phrase, “Cheaters never win, and winners never cheat!”

I believe the part that says, “Cheaters never win” is very much true. Athletes might succeed in the short term, but in the long run steroids will destroy a person’s body.

When people think of Barry Bonds, the first thing that should come to mind is that he’s been an MVP and is about to become the greatest home run hitter of all-time.

Instead what comes to mind is steroid allegations.

Most have branded him a cheater, and circumstances surrounding him seem to indicate those people are correct. When his career ends — as the all-time home run leader — his image likely always will be tarnished because of the steroids scandal.

The older I get, the more I see that people in school, politics and sports have forgotten about integrity.

Integrity seems to be a forgotten word and a forgotten action.

Blake Lapier’s youth views column appears every other Tuesday in The Facts.