RJA #9 c Presentation Plan

Should We Accept the Use of Steroids in Sports by Adults?

I. Athletes who use steroids are breaking the rules.

A. Athletes know the rules ahead of time they are not without that knowledge.

B. Athletes know the consequences of breaking the rules

II. Athletes who use steroids are getting an unfair edge

A. Define sports and what the word sports implies

1. Sport is comparing apples to apples not apples to oranges

2. The orange is juicy and sweet a bright color (steroids are easy and appealing)

3. The apple is appealing but harder to bite into (it takes more work to get ahead in sports without the drugs they are the easy way out)

B. Show examples of athletes later testing positive that beat out other athletes

1. Olympic examples

2. Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis

3. Personal examples

4. High School Wrestlers I have seen

III. Athletes who use steroids are endangering their health

A. Health risks that have been touted in articles and other news and information arenas

1. Doctors

2. By those who have taken the drugs

B. Personal interview or summary of an interview of a person who has taken steroids

1. Bruce (has cancer had strokes and his brother died both on steroids heavy use)

2. Article from sport magazine about someone who has taken steroids

IV. Athletes who use steroids are setting the wrong example for young athletes

A. They see the results without the risks

B. They see their peers on steroids excelling while they are struggling

V. Athletes should be allowed to use steroids and we should change the rules

A. The rules are made to lessen the danger yet the sport itself is more dangerous than the taking of the drugs.

1. More deaths of players from participating than can be proven from steroid use

2. How many famous athletes have died from steroid use

B. The rules are made to make society happy that sports is kept pure but all sports are plagued with problems with ethics we should be more honest.

VI. Athletes should be allowed to use steroids because the health risks have been exaggerated

A. Facts about the health risks from doctors and others who think it is ok to take steroids

B. Number of articles against versus those published for due to health risks they believe are many

VII. Athletes should be allowed to use steroids like other adults use drugs for depression, appetite control, beauty enhancement, etc… it should be their choice.

A. Over 18 with the ability to decide

B. Could mean the difference in their lifestyle for years to come

VIII. Athletes will not stop using drugs they will find new ways to hide the use so we should accept that and go on

A. Those that manufacture the drugs are one step ahead of the testing ability

B. It may be more dangerous to the athletes if they have to come up with more and more new chemicals in order to hide the use at least we know what the current chemicals are and what their possible side effects could be

IX. Athletes should not be punished more than they are now it is strong enough

A. The athlete already looses scholarships, sponsorships, etc…

B. If jail time was added then it would have to be added for using weed, or other drugs that currently the athletes get help with and can still play their sport

X. The risk of using drugs and the example it sets is ethically wrong and should be punished in order for the use to not be the norm but the exception by a cheater.

A. The above arguments will show that the risks are many

B. The above arguments will show that it is an ethics question and if based on good ethics it is wrong

C. The above arguments will show that the example that adult athletes set is followed by younger athletes and this is not what we as a society should let young people think is the acceptable behavior.