I have been a big lover of football for as long as I can remember. One of my childhood dreams was to become a professional footballer. I grew up with a dad who liked watching football. Weekends were reserved for football, and we spent them either in front of the TV or at a viewing center. I’ve been in this game for so long, so trust me when I say that I've seen footballers break records, retire, and some end their careers without fulfilling their dreams. One thing about football is that there are many rules. One of the top football rules is that footballers are not allowed to use performance enhancers. This rule applies to other sports like basketball, volleyball, wrestling, and so on.
The use of performance enhancers is called doping. In simple terms, doping means cheating in sports. Students cheat in exams, athletes dope (if there’s anything like that). There are different types of performance enhancers, whether they are steroids, stimulants, or any other substances, it all narrows down to one big question; do you think athletes should be permitted to use performance enhancers? Should they be shot in the head and hung upside down (figuratively)? Or should they just be banned temporarily or permanently? Recently, I had a conversation with a friend about doping in sports. The conversation was an eye opener. Athletes who break this rule should be banned permanently. This way, others will learn and not make the same “mistake.”
As I mentioned, I started watching football when I was a kid. I have seen so many footballers, especially young ones, come in and out of the game. So many dreams have been cut short as a result of doping. Surprisingly, big footballers like Pep Guardiola, Fred, and even the Argentinian football god, Diego Maradona, have been caught doping. Out of all these footballers, the one who shocked and pained me the most was Paul Pogba. Pogba is a footballer who won the World Cup for France in 2018. I grew up watching Paul Pogba. Although he doesn't come any close to my favorite player, he is a good and talented player. Sadly, he ruined his career.
I became a fan of Paul Pogba because of his hairstyles. He is one of the few footballers who takes fashion seriously. His days at Manchester United and (especially) Juventus were truly a testament to how beautiful football can be. Last year, Paul Pogba was suspended because performance enhancers were found in his system. When my friend told me this story, I didn't believe it until I confirmed the news myself. In an interview, Paul Pogba said “I am finished. Paul Pogba is no more.” Is it truly worth risking your whole career for? All that you have ever worked for?
In my opinion, people who use drugs in sports so they can perform better are not champions, but monsters. Those who work hard are the real champions. These monsters try to play the system. When students cheat in exams, they are tagged as bad people. What’s the difference between taking performance boosters and cheating in school? I attended a very strict high school. The school was against examination malpractice, and anyone caught would be expelled immediately. Definitely, things would be better if athletes could be “expelled.” For example, if clubs and federations implemented a rule to “expel” those who use performance boosters permanently, I'm pretty sure that people would avoid using them. Instead of suspending them for weeks or months, kick them out permanently.
Athletes should imitate Cristiano Ronaldo. Whenever I mention Cristiano Ronaldo, there is a spirit that pushes me to want to write a whole essay on his lifestyle, and career as a footballer, but I’ll try not to do that in this post. Ronaldo is my role model for so many, and one of them is because he is very hardworking. Everyone, even his haters, know that he is a very hardworking man. Jeezz! I could talk about how great he is all day, but that’s a story for another day. Instead of using performance boosters, Ronaldo works hard every day. He trains his body and his brain. I mean, this guy could go “ouuu, I should just inject myself with steroids instead of working hard.” Do you know how many goals he would score in a match if he did this?
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Thanks for reading.
