&gt;&gt;This leads me to wonder why cheating is so rampant in the sport?<p>May be one of the major reasons is money involved. Cheating is one side the other is fixing: with aim to get more and quick money. In first case, i.e. of cheating, you aim for money by becoming famous and then grab advert contracts. In the other case, you get direct money to lose.<p>Money and advertisement are destroying many a sports. Sadly, it seems to go worse.