Which can be considered worse in sports—steroids or gambling?
The issue between steroids and gambling in sports is not commonly being tackled these days because more focus is given to steroids alone. In fact, steroids appear to make the most noise and controversy in sports arena for the past years and even today according to one feature posted in Megaessays.com.

However, according to the commentaries posted on Blogcritics.org, replacing the term “steroids” with the term “gambling” in sports field, in Major League baseball specifically, can still result in total chaos and may cause universal dismay. To make the point more direct—both steroid and gambling carry a threat on the integrity of sport.
Unfortunately, even though both steroid and gambling are creating a scandal in the sports field; both are not being fairly dealt by the sports body according to the claim of Jake Niall of The Age who published the case of the trio—Kevin Muscat, Craig Moore, and Grant Brebner.

The case of these three players of Melbourne Victory clearly reflected the issue of gambling in sports when their arrest for making a bet on their own sport in the US broke out. According to the report written by Niall, the three players are about to face suspension now and Brebner is said to be banned for lengthy stretch. Particularly, Moore and Muscat were required to pay only meager amounts as fines for betting on games. Brebner on the other hand was laid down with a four-game ban for making a bet on playoffs involving his own team. The report conveys Brebner gambling offense to be as heavy as taking steroids as it compromises the sports integrity.

But talking about the issue between steroids and gambling in sports, Niall rationally compared the case of the trio to the case of Ben Cousins, a professional Australian footballer, who is said to have brought an unforgettable disgrace to his game by becoming a drug addict and acting one in the middle of the field. Cousins does not have any criminal record; however, he was rubbed out in the field by appearing without a shirt and acting aggressive inside.

Niall explained that Cousins undoubtedly injured his own reputation including his team. However, his offense does not wholly damage his sport as compared to betting on one’s own team. But then, the consequences he received are heavier as compared to the trio. The report published by Niall mentioned that Australia has already developed an absurd hysteria about illegal drugs in sports.

Unfortunately, the country remains feeble on the more critical issue, which is the gambling of professional sportsmen. Hence, Niall cited that by neglecting the seriousness of gambling offense in sports; the sporting body also suggests to adopt the view of Don Corleone of the Godfather saga of Mario Puzo—taking illegal drugs is a dirty business but making a little gambling is considered fine.

Niall emphasized the disregard of the sporting body to the gambling offenses by giving some examples: specifically, the easy escape of champion sportsmen from the real penalty of gambling-related offenses; while professional sportsmen who were involved to illegal drugs received harsh penalties including suspension and vilification.

Apparently, both offenses caused dishonor in sports. Both are critical issues that need to be dealt, especially when both offenses are viewed as fine by young audiences as their role model athletes perform them. So, there should be no ramble as to which is worse between steroids and gambling because both promote a negative impact to sports image; and both create a negative influence to young viewers.

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