Khalid Galant, the CEO for the South Africa Institute for Drug-Free Sport, has announced plans to increase the organization’s anti-steroid education programs in the sport of boxing. His message to boxers – steroids don’t work. The performance enhancing benefits of steroids have little impact on boxing performance according to Galant.
“Boxing is a sport that has a very high skill and speed component to it, and obviously strength is an important factor too. The promised performance gains of sports supplements and steroids have no bearing on improved boxing skills,” claimed Galant.
Galant’s comments come after Matima Molefe, the South Africa featherweight champion, tested positive of nandrolone metabolites after defeating Simphiwe Tom to win the title fight on May 29, 2011. Deca Durabolin is the trade name for the popular steroid containing nandrolone decanoate.
The 125-pound Molefe may not look like a steroid use due to his slight build but Galant has clearly confused the lack of a bodybuilder’s physique as evidence of lack of efficacy. Galant has taken the position that since steroids are unable to improve boxing skills therefore they offer no benefit to boxers.
The Institute’s annual report revealed a high rate of anabolic steroid use by boxers. Four out 87 boxers tested between April 2010 and March 2011 were found to have used steroids.
Galant thinks the high rate of steroid use by boxers is either due to ignorance of doping or accidental use of steroids masquerading as dietary supplements. After all, boxers are often isolated from sport and society outside of their boxing training environment according to Galant.
He hopes a partnership between the Institute for Drug-Free Sports and Boxing South Africa will reach those uninformed athletes and teach them the error of their ways.
Source:
Sport24. (October 25, 2011). SA boxer banned for doping. Retrieved from http://www.sport24.co.za/OtherSport/SA-boxer-banned-for-doping-20111025
Boxing SA. (September 27, 2011). Steroid Doping Appears Rife with Boxers. Retrieved from http://www.boxingsa.co.za/steroid_doping_appears_rife_with_boxers.html
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