Nowadays, we see a frustrating rise in doping usage in professional sports, driven by the desire to win more medals and trophies. This problem has several main causes but also some promising solutions.
Athletes may choose to dope for various reasons. Some athletes and their coaches have a strong desire to achieve goals quickly. Young, prospective athletes who have shown early success often want to win everything immediately and may turn to banned medical methods. Others strive to perform at their best during major sporting events. For example, violations were declared by several members of the host team during the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games in Russia. Evgeniy Ustyugov was banned for using doping in biathlon, resulting in the Russian men’s relay team losing its gold medal. Similarly, the women’s team was stripped of its silver medal in the relay due to Olga Zaytseva’s use of prohibited drugs.
Fortunately, the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) is working on several developments to decrease doping usage. Firstly, WADA creates lectures for both young and adult athletes. It is crucial to continue providing this type of information to younger athletes in order to instill clear views and promote sportsmanship. Another promising method is strengthening the punishment system. Currently, repeat offenders face a permanent ban. I believe implementing a permanent ban for first-time offenses would also significantly reduce violations, although this proposal is controversial.
In conclusion, various factors contribute to doping usage in professional sports, such as the desire for early success or performing well at significant events like home Olympic Games. Hopefully, increased collaboration between WADA and National Sports Federations will raise awareness among athletes about the negative consequences of using banned substances, ultimately leading to a significant decrease in doping violations.