CASPer Scenario For Discussion #50

[PrepMatch]

Your best friend, Michelle, is a marathon runner and has been training for the past 12 months to participate in a national marathon. The top 10 winners of the marathon will win $100,000 each. Michelle has just confessed to you that she is using performance-enhancing drugs to improve her endurance.​

1. If you knew Michelle needs the money to help treat her mother's cancer, would you report her?
2. "Some athletes are born with better genes than others. Those that don't have good genes should have the right to take performance-enhancing drugs." What are your thoughts on this statement?
3. If your favourite athlete was found to be taking performance-enhancing drugs, how would your opinion of them change?

Discuss Below !!

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[Wamuu]

1. While I understand her position with the money, who's to say that the other contestants aren't racing for similar purposes? They may also be in a situation that can be helped by their natural gift of being athletic or there may be someone they are helping as well. So yes, I think I would report her.

2. The former part of this statement is true, there are clear differences between individuals that predispose them to being great at various things/allow them to achieve higher levels of performance or skill acquisition. In this case, Michelle does not have such genes for endurance events and turned to PEDs to give her an edge. Imagine it from the point of view of the contestants who aren't; they spent their life or many years training for events like this. Then, in a race they would have otherwise won, they are instead bested by someone who is leagues ahead because they spent some money on the vials & needles/pills. Not only that, but coming into possession with or distributing such drugs is illegal unless prescribed (in few instances).

3. Yes it would. It would change even more if said athlete is openly against PEDs or denies their usage of them, and not for the better. While I would respect the athlete more for being honest, I would still hope that they refrain from competing.