The Ethics of the Non-Professional Runner

A surprise out-of-competition drug test occurred while teaching, creating worry about how students would interpret the situation. The experience later became a source of gratitude because protecting clean sport matters. Questions have emerged about whether non-elite runners should follow the same ethical standards as elite and professional athletes. The issue is not theoretical, given survey and usage estimates showing substantial numbers of young people and Americans purchasing or using performance-enhancing drugs without regulation or supervision. While banned supplements have long existed in sports and fitness culture, increased use is linked to appearance anxieties and social media, contributing to anabolic-androgenic steroid use. Advertising and availability also contribute to the problem.

"The officer escorted me down the hallway for a drug test in the faculty kitchen. I ground my teeth, worrying - not about the outcome of my drug test but about what my students would tell their parents at the end of the day: "Magellan died before the expedition was complete, and Mrs. Little was tested for drugs.""

"I am now far removed from the days of World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) surprise visitations. Retrospectively, I am grateful for the inconvenient, sometimes awkward, intrusions in my days. Clean sport is worth protecting. Because if running is not clean, then what is the point?"

"Over the past year, there has been a growing discourse about whether non-elite runners should be subject to the same ethical standards as elite-level and professional runners. For example, does it matter if runners take performance-enhancing drugs, such as anabolic steroids or amphetamines, if they are unlikely to win a race (1)? This is not an abstract question."

"A recent U.K. Anti-Doping survey found that one-third of people in the U.K., ages 16 to 25, have purchased performance-enhancing drugs (2), and an estimated three to four million Americans use unregulated, unsupervised performance-enhancing drugs (3). These are significant numbers."

Read at iRunFar