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In the shadowy world of competitive sports, it seems as though integrity clashes with the allure of victory.
So today, Devastating Disasters is taking you on a journey through the annals of athletic history to uncover the shocking truths behind some of the most notorious doping scandals. These incidents have left an unforgettable mark on the landscape of competition.
Performance-enhancing pills have been around in different sporting fields for many years to boost athletes’ immune systems. They’re used not only to compete but also to stay on top of their game.
From the heights of triumph to the depths of disgrace, the following stories illuminate the ethical dilemmas and moral quandaries athletes face.
Giving yourself an unfair advantage by using pharmaceuticals is undoubtedly not sportsmanlike and goes against all anti-doping rules. Besides that, when an athlete proves to be doping, the entire world’s appreciation of their “natural” skills goes out the window, right?
So we’re pulling back the curtain on the hidden realities of doping, revealing the consequences that resonate far beyond the arena. Continue reading about the 7 most shocking doping scandals in sports history!
Maria Sharapova became one of the most prominent Russian tennis players after joining the professional arena in 2001. She won many tournaments, including the US Open, Wimbledon, the Australian Open, and the French Open.
But, her integrity took a massive hit in March 2016 because of her use of meldonium. This is a type of medication used to control metabolism and protect heart tissue.
Side effects of this medication include rehabilitation, increased endurance, activation of central nervous system functions, and reduced stress.
It’s worth noting that meldonium wasn’t included in the World Anti-Doping Agency’s index of prohibited substances until two months before this scandal happened.
Way before the Biogenesis scandal took over the MLB in 2013, Alex Rodriguez was suspended for using PEDs back in 2009. But the Biogenesis humiliation truly opened a can of worms in baseball.
Superstars like Rodriguez were linked to the rejuvenation clinic, smashing his seemingly squeaky-clean record. This instance got him suspended for 162 games, leading him to miss the 2014 season entirely.
He did gather some sympathy when he returned in 2015. But sadly, he failed to shake off the PED-related factors of his reputation.
Once considered one of the best players in the world of soccer, winning the World Cup with France, the midfielder’s career lost velocity after an ill-fated transfer to Manchester United.
His most promising years were spent in Italy with Juventus but a return to the Serie A club didn’t go too well. While wellness issues had prevented him from finding his rhythm, the 30-year-old was far from spent at the top level.
That was until he received a four-year ban from soccer for failing an anti-doping test after testosterone not produced by the body was detected. But his sentence could be reduced because he’s trying to appeal against this decision to the Court of Arbitration of Sport.
Roy Jones Jr. turned into a legend in the world of boxing when he won the 1986 Moscow Goodwill Games and the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. He has an exceptional record of 66 wins and only nine losses throughout his long career.
But, he tested positive for anabolic steroids before his title fight against Richard Hall in 2000 in Indianapolis. They actually both tested positive for the WADA-banned substance.
Surprisingly, Jacob Hall, the Indiana Boxing Commissioner then, said there were no legal grounds for suspension because Jones’ levels were “acceptable.”
Marion Jones’ doping scandal was a jaw-dropper for all sports fans. After being praised as an iconic sprinter, it was announced that she had been actually doping since high school, which was probably what made her such a star track and field runner.
She denied any of these claims for many years, qualifying her to earn gold and bronze medals. But, Victor Conte, the founder of Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative, indicated that Jones received PEDs from him.
The acknowledgment led to Jones giving back all her Olympic medals. Any titles she had were also taken away because of this doping scandal.
With all the MLB players involved in the Biogenesis doping controversy, it doesn’t surprise us that another MLB player is on this list. Jose Canseco is well-known for his titles and home runs, which made him a star athlete when he hung up his mit back in 2001.
But, he published a book in 2005 revealing that he consumed PEDs during his entire career as a baseball player. He also confessed that about 85% of the players use substances like these at one point or another.
This is a huge revelation, given that problems about PEDs were just starting to come out, exposing well-known athletes for malpractice.
This Argentinian superstar was his country’s, and likely the world’s, golden boy, albeit a disturbed golden boy at that. A wizard with a ball at his feet, the World Cup winner could work a ball unlike anyone else.
Throughout his career, Maradona fought with all kinds of issues away from the field that diverted him from the important matters on it.
Many addictions were the main issues, but his doping debacle came in the form of testing positive for 5 types of ephedrine, a stimulant banned by FIFA, and was consequently sent home early from the 1994 World Cup.
And that 15-month ban came off the back of another one he got in 1991 due to his narcotics addiction!
However, it didn’t prevent Maradona from cementing his legacy in the game as one of the greatest players of all time, a big star in his home country of Argentina, and a standout of world football that fans worldwide still appreciate to this very day.
What are YOUR thoughts on these doping scandals? Please feel free to share your thoughts with us in the comments section below!
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