▁accept ance ▁of ▁the ▁d ile m ma ▁that ▁were ▁similar ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁population ▁of ▁Australia . ▁ ▁History ▁In ▁the ▁ 1 9 7 0 s , ▁G abe ▁M irk in ▁reported ▁that ▁more ▁than ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁top ▁run ners ▁whom ▁he ▁pol led , ▁would ▁accept ▁the ▁following ▁proposal : ▁" If ▁I ▁could ▁give ▁you ▁a ▁pill ▁that ▁would ▁make ▁you ▁an ▁Olympic ▁champion ▁and ▁also ▁kill ▁you ▁in ▁a ▁year , ▁would ▁you ▁take ▁it ? ". ▁ ▁This ▁surprising ▁result ▁prompt ed ▁Bob ▁Gold man ▁to ▁ask ▁world - class ▁athlet es ▁in ▁combat ▁and ▁power ▁sports ▁a ▁similar ▁question : ▁" If ▁I ▁had ▁a ▁magic ▁drug ▁that ▁was ▁so ▁fant astic ▁that ▁if ▁you ▁took ▁it ▁once ▁you ▁would ▁win ▁every ▁competition ▁you ▁would ▁enter ▁from ▁the ▁Olympic ▁Dec ath lon ▁to ▁the ▁Mr ▁Un iverse , ▁for ▁the ▁next ▁five ▁years ▁but ▁it ▁had ▁one ▁minor ▁draw back , ▁it ▁would ▁kill ▁you ▁five ▁years ▁after ▁you ▁took ▁it , ▁would ▁you ▁still ▁take ▁the ▁drug ?" ▁ ▁He ▁also ▁found ▁that ▁more ▁than ▁half ▁said ▁they ▁would ▁take ▁it . ▁This ▁result ▁was ▁consistent ▁in ▁his ▁find ings ▁over ▁a ▁period ▁from ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁to ▁ 1 9 9 5 . c ited ▁in ▁ ▁Because ▁of ▁the ▁shock ing ▁imp lications ▁they ▁held ▁around ▁do ping ▁in ▁sport , ▁M irk in ' s ▁and ▁Gold man ' s ▁results ▁were ▁widely ▁reported , ▁but ▁also ▁critic