A performance-enhancing drug is any substance taken by athletes to improve performance. This term is referenced often and typically refers to anabolic steroid use in sports by professional and amateur athletes. In an ever dynamic industry, athletes strive to be the top in what they do, or their playing time gets cut or others with a higher physical and mental state will be brought onto the team. With such a widespread in recent years in PED's ranging from sports such as cycling, baseball to the MMA, we can see that these leagues are the most competitive in the world, and with a stigma on PED's often times athletes are encouraged and agree in doping or taking enhanced substances to better their game. Where PED's separate from things such as good nutrition, surgery and other legal drugs that are not considered PED's is a very grey area, and will be touched upon in this report. Just like organizations in a competitive market one must do everything to stay on the competitive edge, whether that's an organization adding value to their product of service from features such as; price or quality of a product or service, similarly an athlete as an asset to the team, strives to keep himself above the competitive level. But with PED's and other enhancing procedures so easily available we see through the prisoners dilemma that it isn't as true as "enhancing as it seems".
Where do we consider behavior acceptable and behavior cheating? All athletes alter their bodies whether that may be the simplest of tampers or a very complex one that border the ethical issue of sports doping. The following examples of tampering show different degrees of acceptability. Athletes exercise, train and follow special diets. They may wear special clothing to cut down wind or water resistance, and cut their hair and remove body hair for the same reason. If they are injured they are likely to receive medical treatment in order to get them competing again as soon as possible.