All For the Gold

Olympic athletes have always been icons and legends in all human eyes. They exceed an average person's strength, ability, speed, and endurance. Some might say that being an Olympic athlete means you are close to physical perfection. But, is there was an easier way to reach this "perfection", more of a "short-cut", would you take it?

This past Friday, Marion Jones, one of the U.S.' leading track and field athletes admitted, after years and years of denial, that she had be using performance steroids. Immediately, millions and millions of fans felt the strong betrayal of trust. With great guilt, she admitted to using these steroids since before the 2000 Olympic Games in Australia. According to Jones, her coach at the time in 1999 first gave her the steroid often called "The Clear", and did not quit using it until 2001. Now at 31, she has decided to come out with the truth and retire from the sport.

However, is apologizing enough? Sure, there is not much she can do now, but what about the millions of boys and girls that looked up to her? And not only her, but hundreds of other athletes that also use steroids, admitted or not? Just confessing their past actions will not cover for the millions of dollars they might have wrongfully won and the people they deceived. If our goal as humans is to ultimately improve our lives and do anything to reach it, is cheating in such a way wrong or right?

The truth is that there will always continue to be steroid use among athletes whether we like it or not. As new drugs and supplements are invented that can improve athletic performance more and more will begin to use them. The problem will only be greater in deciding if an athlete wins by their own work and sweat, or if they took a short-cut.