Does anyone think the pole vault record would be as high as it is without advances in the technology that manufactures the pole, or would the 100-meter sprint record be what it is if the race was run on a cinder track? Or in track shoes from the 1950s?

I’m not forwarding the position that these advances should – or even could – be viewed as cheating. However, when you consider that people are constantly trying to push the envelope - and reach uncharted territory – and that the basic nature of sport is to improve, it’s hard to imagine holding back people from doing so. The difficulty in restraining people – regardless of if this restraint deals with ethical or unethical means – is a daunting task.

With the advances in science and medicine we’re being forced to come to grips with the issue of enhancement. If we accept the concept in general that medicine can help people of all ages live a healthier, longer and more productive life we will have to determine how sport fits into this new world order. And while at the moment we’re not at this point where medicines and therapies are going to aid young and old alike, we’re getting there at warp speed. Medical ethicists have been discussing this issue for years and the rest of us are going to have to catch up.

When you look at all of these events surrounding sports, I think you can clearly say the romantic concept of sport is dead and gone. Events that cannot be controlled have changed sport forever and in 2008 there is no such thing as a clean sport. If you look at many ballplayers’ responses to Roger Clemens’ testimony – in that nobody has a bad thing to say about him and will not hold steroid and HGH use against him – it’s clear that baseball is not and will not be clean.

Perhaps a deal can be struck where athletes stop pretending that they are that much better than their predecessors and admit they owe their success to the pharmaceutical preparations of the 21st century. In turn fans will recognize that athletes don’t really just compete because of love for competition, but are in it for the millions and millions of dollars in salary and endorsements. And the groupies.

I think that’s a fair deal; fans realize it’s all just entertainment and drop their slavish fealty to athletes and athletes can take their drugs, break records and lose the tired, “I don’t care about accolades and the Hall of Fame” act.

The notion of cheating in sports will be one of the topics I will discuss this coming Tuesday at 8 p.m. EST on Performance Enhancing Radio.