Why Athletes Cheat

March 19, 2025

This is an uneasy fact about sports — that people cheat.

At the highest levels of the sport, motivations to cheat are typically apparent. Athletes vie for contracts in crowded markets, and commercial incentives are tethered to performance outcomes. Elite athletes also often have large social platforms, and they can feel driven to perform for these people — to win at any cost, to maintain their relevance. These reasons do not justify cheating behaviors. But — particularly in situations of financial necessity — it is clear why an athlete might be motivated to cheat. iRunFar