Robots and Enhanced Games: Are PEDs and technology impacting the integrity of sports?

Kaitlyn Nielsen | Sports Editor

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This past month, a new world record in the half-marathon was set. All the way in Beijing, China, a competitor was able to go an astounding 50-minute and 26-second half-marathon time. However, this competitor was not a human but a robot. China, over the last decade, has been the epicenter of robot technological advancements. On the flip side, as technological advancements begin to beat out human capabilities, it is driving athletes to consider other options to be able to perform. A new wave of ideas has generated what is now known as the “Enhanced Games,” paving the way for professional athletes to utilize drugs to improve their natural abilities. As we progress as a society and become more technologically advanced, it applies pressure to all athletes alike on their performance and the reality that they might one day be replaced. 

The last couple of decades have shown wild advancements in technology, and China is a hub for what pushes the newfound limits. With its booming epicenter of technology, it’s no wonder that tech companies are finding ways to make these incredible robots. On April 19th, the robot that won was produced by one of the most well-known smartphone producers in that country, Honor. Even though this company is known for its work in smartphone technology, in recent years, they have been branching out and working with robots, and it has paid off. 

Unfortunately, while companies are benefiting, athletes are experiencing negatives as technology slowly seeps in. Robots aren’t the end-all, be-all, but as humans begin to reach what is physically possible in sports, companies will be pushing and demanding more. In return, products are being utilized from shoes, clothing, to how athletes practice now all involve advanced technology. They all serve a purpose to measure, retain, analyze, and conclude the best possible workout, pace, and plan for every athlete. While this seems optimal to have all these different aspects, there is now a price for athletes to be able to perform. Athletes who aren’t able to meet those financial demands are falling behind those who can. 

On the topic of athletes falling short, a new idea of professional games has begun. The Enhance Games, founded by Aron D’Souza, is a competition that would allow athletes from a multitude of different sports to use sports enhancers without the fear of being drug tested. Obviously, drugs of this nature have been banned from all types of competitions, including the Olympics. However, D'Souza believes that the Olympic Committee has been exploiting athletes by not allowing doping, and believes that athletes should be able to make decisions about their own bodies and training. 

There are guidelines, however, for D’Souza games. For one, athletes who enter don’t have to take performance enhancers to be able to compete. Those who do must do it with medical professional supervision. As well as, any drug involved must be approved by the FDA for the athlete to be allowed to compete in the Enhanced Games. 

The games are set to begin May 21 through 24. The games will mostly revolve around sports such as Swimming, weightlifting, and track and field events. Another factor of this game is that prosthetic legs and different shoe technology will be allowed during competition. 

There are debates occurring online about the integrity of this form of competition. The first issue is safety and regulation. While the games will be monitoring the use of performance enhancers, there are several drawbacks. Short-term usage of PEDs can be fine, but long-term use has been linked to numerous different health concerns, such as Heart Disease, Lung Cancer, and Stroke. Also, long-term use has been linked to forms of mental health issues as well, known as “roid rage,” which is serious anger issues that have, in many cases, led to physical violent outbursts. The second debated issue is equality and fairness for athletes. Those for the games state that legalizing PEDS would level the playing field for all athletes. The argument surrounds the ongoing issue with professional athletes using undetectable methods to work around PEDs prevention efforts in competition. Whereas opponents argue that legalizing PEDs would, in turn, destroy the purpose of sports. The core principle surrounding professional competition is the natural skill and talent that goes into these different events. Once PEDs get added to the mixture, it devalues the hard work and turns into a competition over who can afford expensive “drug cocktails” to improve performance.

While on paper, PEDs seem like a quick fix to help athletes step up their level of performance. In the long run, the damage is irreversible. Professional athletes need to consider the influence of their sport. By showing younger athletes that using PEDs is okay, it begins a new generation of athletes who are reliant on drugs rather than training. The legalization of PEDs would open many doors for performance-based athletes, but at the same time, it would close just as many,  making the benefits not outweigh the countless negatives. 

These examples of robots and PEDs seem simple, but in reality, they are having major impacts on all levels of sporting competition. While what China is doing for the world of robots is progressing structurally, reliability technology, and liquid-cooling technology, it is also taking away human achievements. The same goes for PEDs; as humans begin to rely on chemical technology to improve their abilities, it is taking away the true and authentic nature of sports.