Yesterday (August 8), Professor Chen Peijie, Vice President of Shanghai University of Sport, revealed at the launch ceremony of the "History and Future - Forty Years of Olympic Anti-Doping" Shanghai station: "The unhealthy practice of using performance-enhancing drugs has quietly appeared in exams such as high school entrance exams and physical education specialty tests. Students take drugs to stimulate their nerves in a short period of time, thereby increasing their running frequency and improving their athletic performance."
Some parents encourage their children to use them
"Since physical education tests are unlike other competitions that have the 'random testing' from the National Anti-Doping Center, some students who want extra points or to attend prestigious schools resort to illegal means by taking performance-enhancing drugs," said Professor Chen Peijie. Although there is no strict testing, these students still leave traces when they enter the field. According to his understanding, across the country, there have indeed been cases where students used performance-enhancing drugs improperly during high school entrance exams and physical education specialty selections.
Professor Chen told reporters that many students use performance-enhancing drugs with the tacit approval of their parents. Due to insufficient knowledge about the side effects of drug use, such as heart failure, diabetes, or even sudden death, parents encourage their children to use them, and some even say: "One-time use is fine, it won't affect health."
70% of students willing to take drugs for grades
Directly drinking glucose injection can improve physical strength, central nervous system stimulants like "Ritalin" can enhance mental agility, injecting human serum albumin can boost immunity, and taking birth control pills to delay menstruation so it doesn't coincide with exams... During my interviews, I found that more and more students choose to use performance-enhancing drugs and health supplements in high school entrance exams and even college entrance exams to improve their grades.
According to an online survey, 70% of examinees would take drugs or health supplements to improve their grades, and 60% believe that taking drugs or health supplements can truly enhance exam performance. Among those who plan to take drugs or health supplements, 60% think that performance-enhancing drugs are more effective than brain supplements, and even 70% of students are willing to endure the side effects of drugs to improve their grades.
Behind these students who say "I'm willing," it's the obsession with scores that's driving this behavior. From primary school admissions to high school and college entrance exams, the only criterion for admission remains the score. Moreover, the quality of physical education scores in high school entrance exams directly affects whether one gets admitted to a prestigious high school. In this situation, students and parents are willing to take risks and resort to improper means to gain high scores.
No such incidents have been detected in our city
Because there is no testing, the "unfair competition" caused by using performance-enhancing drugs is a more heinous act compared to cheating on exams. Despite complaints, there are still parents and students who follow this trend.
According to information from the Municipal Education Commission, no students have been detected using performance-enhancing drugs during physical education tests in our city so far. However, Ping Jie, Director of the Physical Education, Health, and Arts Department of the Municipal Education Commission, stated that our city will strengthen anti-doping education for teenagers, aiming to "prevent" beforehand and enable teenagers to fully recognize the deception, dishonesty, and harm of using performance-enhancing drugs, ultimately allowing them to consciously resist the use of performance-enhancing drugs. It is reported that the youth sports health promotion education base in our city is also under preparation. (Author: Zhang Xianzheng)