Why do some athletes cheat?

FRIDAY, NOV. 16: For many years I have been one to question whether or not Lance Armstrong was taking some sort drug enhancements to gain advantage and be able to compete at a high level.

As many reporters have already written about this situation and beat him down I am going to take a different approach — why do some athletes feel they have to perform at the highest level day in and day out and why they have no conscience when taking these enhancements to reach high performance levels?

Entitlement

Professional athletes are not only driven with their passion for their respective sport but by the money, media attention, endorsements and the entitlement that comes along with that.

When a pro athlete does well in their sport they get recognized and rewarded. Not all that money comes through their club or through the prizes offered for races.

Their performances influence companies to offer endorsement deals, which for some sports can be more money than what they earn as an athlete, and they put themselves in position for a higher contract from their team.

Being at the top of their game creates opportunities for greater paycheques for these athletes.

This then creates for a few the feeling is ‘I will do what ever it takes to be at the highest level, even if that means cheating’.

Fans also have an effect on professional athletes and their need to play at a high level.

I played professional soccer for 18 years and when you have a following of supporters you want to play great.

It’s when you get older and it becomes difficult to offer up the same level of play to these fans when you was younger. This provides a lot of pressure on the athlete and could lead to them cheating to please their fans.

Some professional athletes find it hard to leave the game so if there was something out there to increase their years of playing, then they feel it will be worth the risk to try it.

I am not making any excuses for professional athletes that cheat, I am just giving you an understanding of where their minds could be at and why they unconsciously make bad decisions.

Professional athletes have a lot of pressure on them, from the media attention, endorsements and the money in contracts.

Some athletes love and passion for their sport gets overshadowed by their need to make more money.

For the Lance Armstrongs of the world I do understand that there is a greater picture in this for them, but I could only wish we get a handle on it because it will destroy the integrity of professional sports.

Until next time!