I've been an off-the-cuff MMA Fan for years and lately determined to dive deeper into the game. One factor I've come throughout is followers' stance on PEDs and Steroids, particularly after listening to that notorious quote from Nate Diaz "Everyone's on steroids" which some folks take critically, others as a joke. I've seen a number of views and opinions on PEDs' place within the sport which all maintain a good diploma of validity.
These in favor of PEDs cite the advantages they offer fighters reminiscent of higher cardiovascular endurance, sooner restoration for extra coaching, they assist weight slicing, and extra. There's additionally the opinion that legalizing PEDs means leveling the enjoying subject between fighters however (allegedly) reduces the probabilities of fighters utilizing extra illicit substances to realize an edge. These are all truthful factors contemplating the bodily calls for of this sport.
Nevertheless, I've seen folks on the opposite aspect of the aisle who suppose PEDs needs to be banned outright. Except for the conventional well being dangers of PEDs, I've seen folks motive that PEDs create an uneven enjoying subject as those that select to not or can't afford to take PEDs are at an enormous drawback in opposition to fighters who've been juicing. Add to that fighters with assets to pay a chemist to whip up tailored PEDs for them and the hole retains widening. Additionally they speak about how PEDs and doping basically have an effect on the integrity of the game (counters in opposition to this argument cite different sports activities the place doping is commonplace).
Then some persons are center of the street. They deal with PEDs as some obligatory evil as a result of PED use in fight sports activities is so pervasive and unavoidable that there's no level attempting to ban them and it's higher to only closely regulate them to keep up some aggressive steadiness and curiosity within the sport.
Lastly is USADA's position in all this. Like I've stated earlier than, I've solely lately dived deeper into MMA however even I can see that USADA hasn't actually "cleaned up the game" as they stated they’ve. It's just about an open secret that regardless of USADA looming over the game with their invasive testing insurance policies, fighters have already found out how you can evade their exams and are nonetheless juicing like nothing's modified. Whether or not or not it’s micro-dosing with short-acting PEDs which don't linger in your system for too lengthy, Biking on and off PEDs relying on check schedules, or as talked about earlier than, simply paying a chemist in China to make a number of kg of a PED USADA's exams aren't designed to detect.
PEDs actually occupy this extraordinarily gray space within the sport that's exhausting to make a judgment on due to so many interconnected components.
I’m curious concerning the opinions of individuals with extra expertise/information in MMA circles. The place do you fall on this challenge? Do you suppose PEDs needs to be allowed? Are they a obligatory evil within the sport? Or ought to they be banned fully?
EDIT: Firstly, I'd wish to thank everybody who gave their two cents. Studying by means of all these feedback has given me numerous totally different views and meals for thought. I feel I'm leaning towards a middle-of-the-road, obligatory evil view on PEDs. It's apparent PEDs aren't going wherever so may as properly attempt to regulate them so fighters don't juice themselves to an early grave.