Two Olympic sprinters who have served suspensions for using anabolic steroids are seeking redemption at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London. American sprinter Justin Gatlin and British sprinter Dwain Chambers hope to prove to the world that they can be legitimate Olympic champions without the use of steroids. [Read more…]
Steroids in Athletics
Mar
10
British Rules on Steroids in Sport Better Than the Rest of the World
The spectre of British superiority has emerged as the British Olympic Association attempts to justify its violation of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) rules. The WADA code specifies that penalties for the use of anabolic steroids and peformance-enhancing drugs (PEDs) should be uniform. The maximum penalty for a first-time doping violation is two-years under existing rules. [Read more…]
Mar
03
ESPN Revisits the Ben Johnson Steroid Scandal
ESPN has revisited the Ben Johnson steroid scandal in its coverage of the 2012 Olympic Games in London. While ESPN didn’t mention sprinter Usain Bolt by name, it compared the “sprinting sensation” seeking to repeat as Olympic champion to the Canadian who “brought shame” to track and field in 1988. There has been no evidence to suggest Usain Bolt has used anabolic steroids but this doesn’t stop people from suggesting his performance might be tainted. After all if Ben Johnson had to use steroids to run a then-world record 9.79, then how is it possible that Bolt has run as fast as 9.58 in the 100 meters? [Read more…]
Mar
02
Can Usain Bolt Break the World Record Without Steroids?
Sebastian Coe, the chairman of the London Organising Committee for the 2012 Olympic Games, believes that sprinter Usain “Lightning” Bolt can set another world record without the use of anabolic steroids or other prohibited substances. In what has become a modern-day witch-hunt, every amazing and/or record-breaking performance has launched speculation about the involvement of steroids. But Coe maintains that most competitive athletes who work hard and continually make progress rarely use performance-enhancing drugs. [Read more…]
Dec
20
Accidental Steroid Use OK According to USADA
The concept of “strict liability” dictates that athletes are accountable for any positive result for anabolic steroids or performance-enhancing drugs regardless of whether it was intentional doping or unintentional doping. This concept has become fuzzy in recent years as anti-doping officials have become more open-minded with regard to plausible cases of inadvertent steroid use. [Read more…]
Nov
24
Female Track Athletes Explain Winstrol and Dianabol Positives
Six female track athletes from India are trying to explain why they tested positive for anabolic steroids in May and June 2011. The six top female 400 meter sprinters in India appeared before the India National Anti-Doping Disciplinary panel to describe the “exceptional circumstances” that resulted in the presence of Dianabol and Winstrol metabolites in their urine samples. [Read more…]
Nov
23
Masters Athletes Represent One-Third of Steroid Users Caught by USADA
Over one-third of athletes testing positive for anabolic steroids and performance-enhancing drugs are masters athletes. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) has suspended nine masters athletes for doping violations in 2011; four of those athletes were in their fifties and sixties. Many of those athletes were only guilty of using steroids therapeutically as part of a testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) protocol. [Read more…]
Nov
21
Steroid Conviction Gets Four Year Suspension for British Shot-Putter
British shot-putter Carl Fletcher was suspended from competition for four years by the United Kingdom Anti-Doping (UKAD) after being convicted of trafficking anabolic steroids. Fletcher pleaded guilty to supplying 16 different types of performance-enhancing drugs including human growth hormone (hGH) and the anabolic steroids testosterone and Trenbolone. Steroids are categorized as a Class C drug in the United Kingdom. Fletcher was sentenced to nine months in prison by the Liverpool Crown Court. [Read more…]
Nov
15
Usain Bolt Falsely Linked to Steroid Dealer
Ricky Simms, the manager for the “world’s fastest man” Usain Bolt, has vehemently denied internet rumors that have linked Bolt to an admitted steroid dealer. The rumor was given strength when Deadspin falsely linked Bolt to Angel “Memo” Heredia in a headline entitled “What Do Usain Bolt And Juan Manuel Marquez Have In Common? They Train With The Same Admitted Steroids Dealer.” [Read more…]
Oct
21
Olympic Steroid User Marion Jones Invited to Be United States Diplomat
Former Olympic champion and admitted steroid user Marion Jones has been invited to become a diplomat for the United States State Department. Apparently, governemnt officials felt her story of “redemption” after being less-than-truthful about her history of steroid use would be a source of inspiration for children in Eastern Europe.
Ryan Rowlands, a public affairs officer at the United States Embassy in Serbia, thought the former steroid user would be the perfect spokesperson for the “Take a Break” program. [Read more…]
