Submitted by: Ferdie Frederic

Steroids and the NFL have had a long and pretty interesting relationship. With the recent suspension of several players from NFL s Minnesota Vikings one has to ask does the NFL still have a drug problem?

On December 2, 2008 six players of the NFL team Minnesota Vikings were suspended four games without pay by the NFL for violating the league s anti-doping policy. It is reported that the players were suspended for the use of diuretics which is banned in the NFL because it might be used as a masking agent for steroids. Despite the players planning to appeal this will be a public relations disaster for the NFL if this decision remains and the accusation proves to be true.

Since the mid to late 1980 s the NFL has gone through a series of a embarrassing issues in relation to steroids. From even the 1970 s to the mid 1980 s steroid use was picking up in the NFL and given the fact the league didn t have disciplinary rules regarding steroid abuse and the unethical use of steroids the National Football league became a safety heaven for those looking to become bigger and stronger at the expense of their own health. Players such as Steve Courson from the 1979 Super Bowl winning champions Pittsburg Steelers admitted to using steroids and the use of it in the NFL.

An incident that revealed much of the issues with steroid abuse within professional sports was the BALCO scandal. BALCO which stood for Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative was a company founded by Victor Conte and was basically in business for blood and urine analysis and food supplements. They eventually created quite a stir among their clients with the creation of the clear which was an undetected performance enhancing steroid. With the popularity of the company and its main substance gaining exposure the US started to take notice and begin investigations on the company, its clients, and how it conducted its business. Eventually the company was exposed and the many athletes that benefited from the companies products careers demolished.

With events like these taken place and the acquired knowledge of the health risks that involves with the use of steroids to enhance performance, the NFL started to tighten up its policies and the penalties that they enforce on players who disregard these policies.

Yet, the NFL with all its rules and regulations cannot stop these players from using such drugs. Examples like the recent six Minnesota Vikings players, Shawne Merriman in 2006, and even Bill Romanowski admitting to steroid use in 2001 and 2002 show that despite how hard you try to regulate, players will find a way to do their deed. Even though this may be true, someone has to ask a much bigger and deeper question. One that goes into the delicate structure of amature sports and the many inspiring teens that adore these athletes. That is, if the NFL cannot seem to get a hold of this delimma and many players within are benefiting from these drugs, breaking records, and getting million dollar contracts, then in truth and all honesty what does that say to our children? You be the judge.

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