Newsflash: Steroids are bad.

Fans understand it, most players recognize it and the mainstream media has been happy to express it.

Unfortunately, performance-enhancing drugs have become a part of the culture in sports — and they’re not going away anytime soon.

For some athletes, the reward simply outweighs the risk.

Ryan Braun and Alex Rodriguez are prime examples.

Lyin’ Ryan and A-Fraud have rightfully been characterized as lying cheaters.

Although dirty, they also happen to be filthy rich.

Money is the ultimate motivator for many professionals around the world — not just athletes — and there is plenty of cash to go around in the sports industry, especially in baseball where contracts are guaranteed.

Performance-enhancing drugs apparently invaded baseball in the 1980s. Around that time, MLB salaries also began to skyrocket and it’s no coincident the two go hand-in-hand.

According to Baseball Almanac, the minimum wage for an MLB player in 1980 was $30,000, while the average salary was $143,756. By 1990, minimum wage jumped to $100,000 and the average salary boosted 302.7 percent, all the way to $578,930.

MLB minimum wage grew to $200,000 by 2000 and the average salary raised 245.1 percent over 10 years to $1,998,034. In 2010, the figures were up to $400,000 and $3,340,133.

With an exponential spike in salary, it should be no surprise players are seeking every edge available.

Big names like Braun steal the spotlight when it comes to PED probes, but for every Braun there’s 10 more guys you’ve probably never heard of like Chaz Roe, Dustin Richardson or Jason Pridie.

There have been 56 MLB suspensions since testing began in 2006, four have been for players who might have otherwise ended up in the Hall of Fame: Braun, Rafael Palmeiro and Manny Ramirez (twice).

The testing program is far from perfect and there’s no doubt far more users than players caught. With no test for human-growth hormone, it would be completely naive to think any differently.

Most of the players using a synthetic boost aren’t well-known names destroying the record book like Barry Bonds or taking home MVP honors like Braun. They’re simply guys trying to keep a job — a very well-paid job.

A recent doping study in Australia says it would take up to 50 tests per year for each athlete to know 100 percent if he or she was using performance-enhancing drugs.

That will never happen.

The best defense against PEDs is to start putting clauses in deals to void contracts if an athlete is caught using.

That will never happen.

Performance-enhancing drugs should never be condoned. There are too many athletes doing it the admirable way.

Braun wasn’t the first to let fans down and he certainly won’t be the last.

As long as there’s a hefty paycheck to collect, there will be athletes who try to cheat.

Jason Orfao is a staff writer for the Butler Eagle.