Would you cheat? (Read 349 times)

If you were an elite athlete and you knew that everyone else was doing it.

No but if I did I certainly wouldn't admit it unless the evidence was overwhelming and someone rubbed my nose in it.

 

Sorry, was that a paraphrase of every elite athlete who has ever been caught?

Lol.

It's bad though that I now look at any great elite cyclist or runner and wonder...

I know it was/is rife in cycling, it's even now in age group triathlon. I mean really?

I would not. If I did it would hollow out any sense of accomplishment from success, which even in a profession means a lot to me.

I like to think not but that is easy to say when it is not my livelihood and life.

This!!

As a recreational runner, it's easy to say that the race is "you vs yourself" but when you're pro, your sponsorship and thus your paycheck depends on your performance. I think that makes it easy to rationalize their "need" to do it. Especially if you believe that everyone else is doing it too. These pressures definitely aren't an absolution for those who cheat but it's important to see where that pressure comes from! It makes me glad to be in it for fun!

What I can't begin understand is people who cheat in age-group triathlons. Are you feeding your family with that medal? Is your pride paying the mortgage on your house? ^-^ Why? Just why?

 

This!!

 

As a recreational runner, it's easy to say that the race is "you vs yourself" but when you're pro, your sponsorship and thus your paycheck depends on your performance. I think that makes it easy to rationalize their "need" to do it. Especially if you believe that everyone else is doing it too. These pressures definitely aren't an absolution for those who cheat but it's important to see where that pressure comes from! It makes me glad to be in it for fun!

 

What I can't begin understand is people who cheat in age-group triathlons. Are you feeding your family with that medal? Is your pride paying the mortgage on your house? ^-^ Why? Just why?

I'm with you. I run for fun, to stay in shape. I can't really rationalize cheating...if you're not good enough, fast enough....then  you're just not good enough. I think it comes from getting last place trophies or something. Anybody hear from WG?

So if your livelihood depends on it, it is justifiable to do something unethical? I think that is what is wrong with the mindset of people that do it. It is NEVER ok to cheat. If you aren't good enough to be competitive clean you have no business being professional. In this country there is plenty of opportunities to make an honest living. I hope running doesn't fall into the same thing cycling went through. That would be sad.

I don't think anyone said it is justifiable, only that it is understandable.

And even if I understand why someone might resort to cheating, I still do not condone the action.

We can even take this question beyond the field of sport - whether professional or amateur.

Would you cheat somehow in your current profession if it enabled you to get a promotion, or make more money?

I think in many small ways, most of us are faced with that possibility every day - and we choose the ethical path.

So if your livelihood depends on it, it is justifiable to do something unethical? I think that is what is wrong with the mindset of people that do it. It is NEVER ok to cheat. If you aren't good enough to be competitive clean you have no business being professional. In this country there is plenty of opportunities to make an honest living. I hope running doesn't fall into the same thing cycling went through. That would be sad.

I really do hope I'm wrong, but I think you'll find it has.

The depth of it has just yet to be uncovered.

When do you think the last untainted 100m Olympic Champion was ?

So, since you've decided the sport is dirty, everyone cheats, and there hasn't been a clean win since some arbitrary date in the past?