Book list
From Booklist, Copyright © American Library Association. Used with permission.

With the 2014 suspension of popular baseball player Alex Rodriguez, steroid use among athletes is once again front-page news. This new addition to ABC-CLIO's Contemporary World Issues series offers readers an overview of the health and ethical issues facing athletes and sports officials. The first section of the book covers the background and history of performance-enhancing drugs. Apparently, this is not a new issue. The author notes that ancient Greek competitors consumed bull testicles because they were thought to improve performance, and long-distance runners have cheated by using cars and subways for part of the race. It seems that the desire for a competitive edge is deeply rooted in the athlete.A detailed discussion of the discovery of testosterone and its related derivatives as well as its effects on the human body introduces readers to the subject. A look at some of the better-known athletic scandals follows. These include the use of anabolic steroids in Nazi Germany, increasing use from the 1950s through the 1980s, and the BALCO scandal, which cost many baseball players their careers. There are arguments for and against the use of steroids, arguments about their legalization, a discussion of their legitimate use by transsexuals undergoing transition, and a look at steroid abuse. There are profiles of people and organizations involved in the issue: for example, Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco and the I Won't Cheat Foundation. Statistical tables, primary source documents, a resource list, a chronology, and a glossary complete the work. Black-and-white photographs and drawings supplement the text.This is a useful resource for anyone seeking an introduction to the issue of athletic doping.--Bibel, Barbara Copyright 2014 Booklist