Drug Testing Pro Athletes

When professional sports became existent in the United States, the excitement and purity of the game made everything more enjoyable for the fan. In today's world, between the multi-billion-dollar industry leagues, the multi-billion dollars spent in sports gambling, and the millions of dollars paid to professional athletes, there is more to professional sports than a game. The integrity of the game is vital for everyone from the owners of the teams, the athletes who compete against one another, the coaches who are also paid millions, and the fan - who is ultimately the customer. This is why drug testing of pro athletes is essential. The typical urine test does allow for adulteration, and can often be cheated. Therefore, the saliva drug test is usually a better option as there is less chance of tampering and the administering of the test is less invasive.

When it comes to morals and ethics in general, cheating is cheating; and cheating is basically using any method that provides an unfair advantage to one side or individual during a competition or game. During the juiced baseball days of Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, the world watched as home run records were shattered. Lance Armstrong became an icon for cycling, a sport that hit it's peak in popularity when he denominated the year race after race for seven years. These athletes used banned substances to be the best during their glory days of stardom. However, despite bringing an abundant amount of popularity to their respective sports, their legends became tarnished and short-lived as not only fans, but the sport itself felt betrayed. These superstars once served as role models for people of all ages, from children to adults, from all parts of the world, and the revelation of using performance enhancing drugs ruined the images of these athletes for life.

When it comes to sports, the professional leagues are all multi-million, if not multi-billion dollar industries. A number of major companies perform certain checks, including background and drug screens before they hire their employees. Why should a business make an exception because their employees are paid millions of dollars while faced with the pressure to perform amongst the highest level of competition? Why should the professional athletes who just barely miss the cut, and lose their job on the roster to someone who is cheating, be punished and not get to live the dream of playing in the pros. It’s a known fact that the better players perform, the bigger their next contract will be. With the lifestyle of the average athlete, forced with pressure and temptation while facing superstardom, the integrity of the game must remain forever.

Prepared by Mark Henry, an outsource writer and blogger. He also publishes press releases and notes popular among young people.