Should Cheaters Ever Win?
Throughout history, there have been many instances where superb athletes have turned to the extreme to win, such as Lance Armstrong doping to win the Tour de France or most recently, the Houston Astros stealing signs to win the World Series. There is a moral obligation to these athletes as well as to those who watch and play whatever sport is involved, to revoke the title or championship won by the winner. Fans, officials, and fellow athletes should take measures to hold cheating athletes and coaches accountable for their actions. The integrity of professional sports is at stake if we as fans and participants continue to allow these cheaters to prosper.
As one baseball reporter covering the Houston Astros scandal furiously stated: “Professional sports only work when we as consumers believe…that what we are watching is fair… when that gets called into question the entire industry just sort of crumbles because without those rules all baseball really is a bunch of guys in pajamas running in the dirt” (The Journal). The Houston Astros won the 2017 World Series and after the series, they were put under investigation for suspicion of sign stealing. Stealing signs is when a team uses measures other than the naked eye to record the other team’s signals (which indicate what pitch the player is going to throw) to their batter who then knows what the pitcher is going to throw. Sign stealing has always been a part of baseball, and even I’ve experienced the art of stealing signs as a softball player. However, when teams use tools such as video cameras or people in the stands to spot these signs and alert the players, the process of sign stealing becomes illegal.
The Houston Astros were found to have used a camera in the field to spot the signs, and they used two forms of communication to let the batter know, by either banging a rhythm on a trashcan or by having a buzzing device on the stomach of the batter. After confessions from the players, managers, and owners, in addition to video and audio evidence, the Astros are clearly guilty of a serious violation of MLB (Major League Baseball) rules. But do they deserve to have their championship revoked? Was this illegal process of sign stealing going on for years or was it only limited to the post-season playoffs? Additionally, have other teams been doing this and if so, have they too earned dishonest championships? Sadly, there is likely an abundance of rule-breaking across all sports, not just in baseball, but that doesn’t mean it is ok. What is leading to these practices and how can we correct this culture that leads players and teams to the extreme of cheating?
Many may remember the shocking scandal with Russian athletes in the 2015 Olympics. In this specific instance, Russian intelligence swapped contaminated urine samples with clean samples to keep athletes who had been doping eligible for international competition. When this specific incident came to light, the WADA (World Anti-Doping Agency) cracked down hard on Russia and other countries about doping. For the more than 1,400 samples that were destroyed, Russia is now banned from the 2020 and 2022 Olympic games. This ban includes the inability to display the Russian flag, use the name Russia, and the national anthem of Russia. All Russian government and sports officials are banned from both games. The athletes that were not involved in any doping scandal are eligible to compete under a neutral flag.
As the culture of sports has become more and more competitive, players and teams have had to turn to alternative sources to get an edge on the other teams. Russia’s explanation for their doping incident was that they wanted to show their superiority by winning at any cost within the international competition. How do we correct this line of thinking? While there will always be people who try to gain a competitive edge unethically, there are ways that these types of choices can be discouraged. Adding rules to the rulebook is not an effective way to prevent cheating in the future; as technology and the caliber of athletes continue to evolve, there will always be another way for an athlete to take advantage of something. However, taking away the championship or title of those who do cheat is the best way to straighten out the athletes who are cheating or those who will consider cheating in the future. Since the doping incident with Russia, there has not been another incident with doping significantly affecting an international event. This is exactly why the Houston Astros should have their 2017 World Series trophy taken away. Cheating within the competition should not lead to rewards. Hard work and persistence are the only way to succeed.
Works Cited
“Baseball’s Biggest Scandal in a Century.” Narrated by Kate Linebaugh and Ryan Knutson. The Journal, The Wall Street Journal, 24 Feb. 2020.
Panja, Tariq. “Russia Banned From Olympics and Global Sports for 4 Years Over Doping.” The New York Times [New York City], 9 Dec. 2019. The New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2019/12/09/sports/russia-doping-ban.html. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.
Ruis, Rebeca R., and Michael Schwritz. “Russian Insider Says State-Run Doping Fueled Olympic Gold.” The New York Times [New York City], 12 May 2016. New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2016/05/13/sports/russia-doping-sochi-olympics-2014.html. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.
Ruiz, Rebeca R. “Drugs Pervade Sport in Russia, World Anti-Doping Agency Report Finds.” New York Times [New York City], 9 Nov. 2015. New York Times, www.nytimes.com/2015/11/10/sports/russian-athletes-part-of-state-sponsored-doping-program-report-finds.html. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.
Russia’s Olympics Doping Scandal, Explained. Bloomberg, 2016.
“Urine Sample Collection Process.” USADA, www.usada.org/sample-collection-process/urine/. Accessed 28 Feb. 2020.
