[Opinion] The Temptation of Doping

“Tell us the truth, the blood of Greece has frozen, is the flame going out…” These are the Greek newspaper titles that relate to the Olympic sprint champion Konstantinos.

The Olympic hero, who was idolized in Greece following his 200m victory in Sydney Olympics four years ago and is the most popular man in the country who presented his hometown Lesbos with a street called Kenteris, has suddenly become the “public’s enemy.” He was believed to have been the original choice for the honor of lighting the Olympic flame in the opening ceremony. However, instead of appearing at the drug test, he was involved in a mysterious motorcycle accident right before the opening ceremony, with his training partner as well as his girlfriend Ekaterini Thanou. Greece, which has been known as a country to pursue “the cleanest Olympics,” is in disgrace as Kenteris is being accused of performing an intentional self-harming accident in escape of taking the drug test.

Doping refers to an athlete using drugs such as a stimulant or steroids to enhance one’s capacity in sports. Even as an athlete uses drugs, it is not easy to pass the test that is practiced approximately 2,400 times by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). But why is it that the athletes cannot get over the temptation of doping?

The answer is in the Olympic motto, “much faster, much higher, and much stronger.” This itself is a challenge against the human limitations. Doping is usually concentrated in athletic sports and swimming; they depend more on human capabilities than games such as soccer and basketball, which concentrates on techniques and teamwork. The fierce competition that considers second place as nothing is also a reason for doping. There is a survey by Bod Goldman, an American doctor from Chicago, in which he asked 198 American athletes, “If you could use drugs and gain victory for five years and not get caught from the WADA, but die of drug side effects, what would you do?,” about half of them said that they would still use drugs.

There is no one who would object to the saying that doping goes against the spirit of sports, which is to contend for victory. There is a view that considers the harm of drugs only to the extent of cigarettes or alcohol. There also is a refutation that says as love isn’t damaged just because someone takes Viagra, playing at one’s best condition and giving the pleasure of watching a game should not be unconditionally prohibited. However the circumstances, the rules are the rules. As long as a “Doping Olympics” does not take place separately, the Olympic spirit that plays without drugs must be conformed.

Editorial writer Kim Sun-duk, yuri@donga.com