In their new book "Game of Shadows," two San Francisco Chronicle reporters describe in detail how baseball slugger Barry Bonds used a variety of performance enhancing drugs over the past several years.
If these allegations prove to be true, "Bonds' actions not only dishonor the game of baseball, but also could possibly have a negative effect on young, impressionable athletes who idolize him for his athletic prowess," says a Duke University sports ethics professor.
"If true, this is just another example of what some people are willing to do to attain fame and fortune," said Gregory A. Dale, who chairs Duke's Health, Physical Education, and Recreation Department.
"Often the argument that athletes provide as a reason for using performance enhancing drugs is that everyone else is doing it and they must use them if they want to compete," Dale noted. "According to newspaper accounts of the new book, Bonds didn't use these drugs because he thought others were using them. He used them because of something he wanted -- the Major League home run record and all of the fame, glory and riches that go along with that record."
Dale, whose sports ethics class is currently discussing the issue of athletes as role models, said Bonds is a role model "whether he wants to admit it or not.
"It will be a shame if these allegations are in fact found to be true and Major League Baseball doesn't take serious action to reprimand Barry Bonds. It will further tarnish the league's reputation and certainly undermine the credibility of the sport of baseball at that level."