Lance-come-lately’s admission of doping has many talking, while others wish the tabloid gossip would go away, wondering why in the heck we should care about someone who lied and cheated in a sport that affects so few of us.
I’ve hesitated about posting my thoughts; I’m not a fan of controversy on my blog. But you’ll be happy to know that this post is NOT about my take on the Lance-Armstrong-gate. This post is about why cheating matters to me, why I’m upset about cheating, and why I believe cheating is a bigger issue than some may care to admit.
Cheating comes from a win-at-all-costs attitude. When this attitude is held by an individual few, it is regrettable, but it is not a widespread issue. But, when this sentiment takes root in our culture, there is cause for concern. That’s when cheating matters.
I am saddened and disappointed about what rampant cheating (or even just the perception of rampant cheating) does to sport. A culture that ignores or downplays cheating–which by implication permits it–weakens everyone’s enjoyment of the sport, as well as the community surrounding it. As organizations, such as WTC, begin more drug testing of the age group community, I fear that we will see a problem that extends well beyond the professional ranks of athletes.
Much has been said about how pro athletes feel the pressure to dope to be on a “level playing field.” How level is that field for athletes who accept their ethical responsibility and choose not to dope? How level is that field for someone trying to break into the sport, without doping?
Theirs is an honest and ethical playing field. That’s the level playing field, where everyone agrees to the rules and sticks to them. The dope playing field is slanted in the direction of the powerful, those with access, those with money, those with the ability to cover up doping–even if everyone else is doing it. (I don’t know about you, but I was taught that just because everyone else was doing something, it didn’t make it right.)
I really don’t care about what happens to Armstrong. But, I love running and triathlon, and I worry that this mentality–so boldly displayed in this case–will take over the sport I love and ruin it, much in the same way that pro cycling is ruined. It seems like pro wrestling to me now – completely fake, ultimately rigged. At one point in the interview, Armstrong went so far as to comment that he knew he would win, he just had to “dial it in.”
If he knew he was going to win, how level could the playing field possibly be?
For me, sport is about the amazing and extraordinary triumph of the human body, spirit and mind. What is the triumph if the process and the outcome is a sham, rigged so that the powerful always win? What exactly is so extraordinary about a win that comes from cheating?
Most importantly: what do we lose when this is the attitude that is held by the majority?
What worries me even more is that the attitude to win at all costs extends beyond sport. We can see the ways that a success-at-all-costs mentality exists is other sectors of life.
In our professional life, “It’s not personal, it’s just business.” Or, “You have to do what you have to do to get ahead.” These phrases, and others like them, are used to justify a host of unethical behaviors.
In the political sphere, a success at all costs mentality has almost completely bankrupted our democratic processes, leaving the “left” and the “right” at a stalemate because they want their position to “win” more than they care about what is in the collective interest.
In our personal lives, we may know people who see friendship as a “networking opportunity,” seeking just the right circle to help them get ahead in life – whatever that means to them.
I think of how each of these transgressions erodes our trust in others, and in our economic, political and social institutions. Am I perfect? Absolutely not. I live in a glass house, just like everyone else. I’m not throwing stones, here. But, I am reflecting upon an attitude that seems to be threatening what is great about our culture.
A win-at-all-costs attitude does not sit well with the way we value honest, hard work as a path to success. A win-at-all-costs mentality does not support a belief that we should help our fellow citizens when they need it. A win-at-all-costs sentiment contradicts a faith in justice and fair play.
I may be overreacting – and I HOPE I am. I want to believe that the majority of people are good, and these cases of moral bankruptcy constitute sporadic, individual cases. But, for the first time in my life, my faith is wavering, and the evidence seems to suggest a more systemic, cultural problem.
Maybe I’m an old curmudgeon. But, maybe I am not.
From my perspective, this story is about more than Lance Armstrong. It is about all of us, who we are, and who we want to be. But, if the focus stays only on Lance Armstrong, then we will have missed a moment to interrogate our broader cultural values, attitudes and behaviors. We will have missed the moment to understand the systemic reasons why people make the choice – or feel that they have no other choice – to cheat. We will have missed the moment to look inside ourselves and examine our attitudes, our motivations, our behaviors.
That’s why cheating matters to me.
Related posts:
- Where it matters most: Heading for the hills
- The cheating metal man might have a point
- No matter how big, how old, or how skilled: Your body is amazing
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12 comments
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BCDon
February 6, 2013 at 5:59 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Part of the problem is that this is endemic. It is in pretty well every Pro sport. In fact I would be astounded if there is any pro sport where the use of some kind of PED is not used to some extent and is likely in rampant use. Football (both versions), Baseball, Hockey, Jai Ali (however that is spelt). Heck there is a lot of use of drugs such as Beta Blockers with Pro musicians (concert, rock musicians use different drugs
).
I think you need to look at the why and certainly part of it is a “win at all costs”. But another part is the disdain for rules. How many people speed or break other laws they consider trivial? How many Triathletes draft, pass on the wrong side, or break other rules?
By no means am I perfect but I think that the casual disregard for what we think are trivial (or unjust for whatever reason) rules is a stepping stone. It is part of the continuum from “walking on the grass” at one end to the most heinous crime you can think of on the other. And we all have a moral compass that puts us somewhere on that continuum.
Scott
January 22, 2013 at 9:21 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Excellent post, well written. I got to see the effects of steriods at a young age, I was a freshman in highschool and on the football team, we had a senior that had a body right out of a magizine, later in the season, the coach pulled us in a meeting to inform us he developed a tumor from the use of steriods and was in the hospital. It was so sad, he was a nice guy.
Recent, we have had 2 age groupers (at least that has been made public) caught using PED’s, for the life of me, I just dont get it? Why? To get 20% off some gear through some sponsor? To get another plaque for the wall? To have bragging rights with the local tri club? I just dont get it. I tend to be gullible, I tend to give people the benefit of the doubt, even when the majority think another way. Then I hear the actual truth and am dumbfounded by it.
Overall, I think that triathlon (hoping I am not gullible) will not be affected by the use of PED’s. But I admit, I was one of the people that believed Lance up to last week.
Maria Simone
January 23, 2013 at 7:45 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Scott – I sooooo hope you are right! I want to believe too, and I haven’t given up hope. I just lost some of my trust, and I’m a little more cynical than I was. But, I guess that is bound to happen as we get older, learn more, and know less.
Patrick Mahoney
January 22, 2013 at 1:17 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Excellent post. There’s another aspect to the situation though – money. Let’s just say for arguments sake (and I think it’s pretty safe to do so) that pro cycling has seen the most rampant doping problems by far, ever. Yes, the individual rider’s desire to “win at all costs” angle is true. But the sponsors want results to justify their investment. Take the Cofidis scandal in the ’90′s for example. There are some who think that Cofidis (the corporate sponsor, not the team) had full knowledge of what was going on and simply decided to look the other way until all hell broke loose. If true, was this isolated to just one team, whether or not they got “caught”? I think not.
Though not as obvious in the US, you have to remember (and I’m sure you do) that cycling is a huge sport globally. You get upwards of a million people on Alpe d’Huez when the TdF goes through, and the race is shown on TV in Lord knows how many countries. This kind of potential marketing scale makes it easy for all sorts of unsavory decisions to happen by the unfit dudes behind the desks who write the checks. Greed is greed, and AIG and Bear Stearns didn’t even need a cycling team.
As triathlon gets bigger, whether through the expansion of the WTC or the further success of their competitors (both current and future), they’ll just have to learn from the mistakes made by cycling.
Maria Simone
January 22, 2013 at 7:42 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Agreed, Patrick! The money aspect is part of what I meant when I wrote that we can see this “win at all costs” as part of a larger “success at all costs” mentality. As long as money is being made, power is being strengthened – who cares, right?
The broader cultural pressures clearly influenced cycling in a “perfect storm,” creating widespread doping that was even encouraged on many, many levels. I think we are only getting at the beginning of this story, for sure.
As you say, I hope that WTC and others do learn from the case of cycling!
Jason @ Cook Train Eat Race
January 21, 2013 at 2:24 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
We are obviously spidey-twins b/c I was hashing out my thoughts on this topic for a post for tomorrow.
I am going to forget I ever read this so I am not just typing what you wrote and going with my thoughts and ideas.
That being said…..I agree!
Maria Simone
January 22, 2013 at 7:43 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I look forward to your post
dan schwartz
January 19, 2013 at 8:40 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
i’d like to see rules in all sports for peds. how about mma? that would almost be fun to watch
Maria Simone
January 20, 2013 at 11:15 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
I suppose testing is a matter of money and time, right?
dan schwartz
January 20, 2013 at 6:19 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
it’s too unfair. those willing to use peds over those who want to stay clean. encourage drug use for competition? the same basic arguments stand solid
Mike Dobransky
January 19, 2013 at 8:12 pm (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Great thoughts… I agree that it is not obvious how we should think about this situation.
Maria Simone
January 20, 2013 at 11:15 am (UTC -4) Link to this comment
Thanks, Mike. I appreciate that. I really hesitated about posting this, but I’m glad I did.