The FDA served iForce Nutrition and owner Dave Nelson with a search warrant during the course of the 2009 IFBB Olympia Expo. The search warrant was executed in the days following the FDA raid of Bodybuilding.com. Four iForce Nutrition products were listed as “undercover purchases” made at Bodybuilding.com. Both the iForce Nutrition search warrant and the Bodybuilding.com search warrant alleged that these products contain anabolic steroids, unapproved new drugs, and/or misbranded drugs: 1,4 AD Bold 200 (androstenedione), 17a PheraFLEX (Madol), Dymethazine (Superdrol) and Methadrol (Superdrol).

The FDA media strategy forced several dietary supplement companies and their owners into the spotlight and made them readily accessible to both federal agents and media representatives at the 2009 Olympia Expo.

DEA and FDA agents were seen circulating the Olympia Expo purportedly serving search warrants on at least two dietary supplement companies according to sources who spoke to the agent(s). 

The federal government has a history of using major bodybuilding and supplement expos to gain publicity for their steroid witch-hunts. The presence of federal agents at a major bodybuilding and supplement expo was reminiscent of the 2004 IFBB Arnold Classic Expo during which several IFBB pro bodybuilders were served subpoenas to testify before a federal grand jury investigating steroid distribution.

Craig Titus, Nasser El Sonbaty and Flex Wheeler were among the bodybuilders subpoenaed in 2004 according to Shawn Ray in a story reprinted on the website GetBig.com. Professional bodybuilding was linked to the BALCO scandal at the time with the presence of Victor Conte, who was at the Expo to promote his supplement products, and Milos Sarcev, who had trained BALCO athletes.

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Kelly Blair, the owner of now-defunct 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness near Houston, has filed a defamation lawsuit against the authors and publisher of “American Icon: The Fall of Roger Clemens and the Rise of Steroids in America’s Pastime” on the eve of his grand jury testimony in the Roger Clemens perjury investigation. The book was written by the New York Daily News investigative journalism team consisting of Michael O’Keefe, Christian Red, Teri Thompson and Nathaniel Vinton. The suit also names the publisher (Knopf Doubleday) and one previously anonymous source (Robin Dobbins) cited in the book (”Authors and Publisher of Baseball Steroids Book Sued for Defamation, According to The Gibson Law Firm,” August 10).

Blair’s attorney, Jason A. Gibson, of The Gibson Law Firm, stated, “As the lawsuit alleges, Kelly Blair was maliciously and recklessly defamed by the authors and publishers of this book and at least one dubious source whose false allegations they published. Kelly looks forward to his day in court on this matter. In the meantime, he looks forward to testifying tomorrow before the grand jury in Washington.”

Kelly Blair’s lawsuit alleges that Robin Dobbins is responsible for the information in the book that links Blair directly to the sale of anabolic steroids and performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) to Major League Baseball (MLB) players (”Kelly Blair v. Michael O’Keeffe, et al., (Cause No. 2009-50671),” August 10)

Defendant Robin Dobbins (”Dobbins”) made false statements of fact regarding Blair and provided false information to the other Defendants. Dobbins made false statements of fact regarding Blair and his involvement in preparing “collections” of drugs to ship to Major League Baseball players, including Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens. Dobbins also claims that Blair bragged about his involvement in supplying steroids to professional athletes.

Kelly Blair told Mike Fish of ESPN.com that Dobbins was disgruntled after Blair refused to hire him as a personal trainer at 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness.

Blair’s lawsuit also lists several additional statement published in the Roger Clemens steroid book that he claims are false (”Kelly Blair v. Michael O’Keeffe, et al., (Cause No. 2009-50671),” August 10).

“Defendants falsely stated Blair was “pushing” steroids to professional athletes and using 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness, Blair’s gym, as a front for selling drugs. ”

“Defendants falsely claim Blair was a steroid “pusher” involved in an underground steroid network.”

“Defendants falsely state Blair acquired steroids and Human Growth Hormone from AIDS patients, from individuals in Mexico and Canada and from doctors who were liberal with prescriptions.”

“Defendants falsely stated that 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness was a gym for “cops,” “strippers” and “guys that wanted to get injected.”"

“Defendants additionally state Blair was associated with former IFBB bodybuilder Craig Titus, a confessed murderer and convicted ecstacy dealer, who Defendants claim moved steroids through Blair’s gym.”

Kelly Blair is in Washington, D.C. today after he was subpenoaed to appear before a federal grand jury investigating whether baseball player Roger Clemens lied to Congress about his use of anabolic steroids (”Local trainer going before Clemens grand jury,” August 10).

“Why the prosecutors are insisting on getting his testimony, I don’t know, but he’ll answer their questions to the best of his ability,” said attorney Jason Gibson, who filed a defamation lawsuit on Blair’s behalf Monday in Harris County District Court. “He’s repeatedly stated that he has no information about Clemens and steroids.” [...]

“He understands this is a big important matter, but enough is enough,” Gibson said. “There’s just a lot of things that are incorrect that were enough to push him over the edge and out of business. His reputation has been trashed.”

Blair owned a gym named 1-on-1 Elite Personal Fitness. The gym closed a few months after the book came out in 2008 because no one wanted to be associated with him anymore, Gibson said. Since then Blair has worked at any job he can find to make ends meet, he added.

The Roger Clemens steroid witch-hunt targeted the fitness industry in the Houston area  last year after former IRS Special Agent Jeff Novitsky started making inquiries about several fitness professionals in an effort to substantiate the use of anabolic steroids and growth hormone by Roger Clemens.

Kelly Blair may be considered collateral damage in the war against steroids in sports. Yet, Blair’s misfortune may also be considered an acceptable loss if the government ultimately wins its case against Roger Clemens. 

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Michael Schmidt of the New York Times reported this week that David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez were two of the baseball players who tested positive for for anabolic steroids as part of Major League Baseball’s “non-disciplinary and anonymous” steroid testing in 2003.

Jon Pessah, a senior writer at ESPN Magazine, responded that the “real questions about steroids” raised by the New York Times story involve the illegal activity that resulted not only in the government seizure of the list but also the subsequent leaking of the names.

The seizure of the list is the subject of a lawsuit by the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) against the federal government. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals imposed a gag order on all parties involved in the case preventing the leaking of names under the penalty of contempt of court.

Jon Pessah, writing for True/Slant,  questioned whether reporters are themselves breaking the law in their aggressive purusit of steroid users in Major League Baseball (”The Real Questions About Steroids,” July 30).

Are reporters actively soliciting sources for the test results?

It makes a difference. If a source gives the media documents under seal, the reporter is on safe ground. If the reporters are pushing sources to break the law, they are complicit.

Michael Schmidt, the New York Times reporter responsible for the David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez and Sammy Sosa steroid stories, openly detailed his plan “to speak with anyone who might have seen the 2003 list” in an interview with a senior editor from Editor & Publisher (”NY Times’ Reporter ‘Had a Plan’ to Get Steroid List Names,” July 30).

Schmidt says he increased his pursuit of the 2003 list after Sports Illustrated in February revealed that Alex Rodriguez was one of the names. [...]

That is when he set out a plan, to speak with anyone who might have seen the 2003 list. [...]

Schmidt said he sought to speak with anyone who might have had knowledge of the list. “Lawyers, clerks, assistants,” he said. “Anyone from baseball to the players union to the federal government. Anyone who would have seen it.”

The Major League Baseball Players Association released a statement critical of the New York Times’ pursuit of the David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez story (”MLBPA Response to New York Times Report,” July 30).

“Today The New York Times, once again, reports what it asserts to be information contained in documents under court seal… The active pursuit of information that may not lawfully be disclosed because it is under court seal is a crime. That its informants, according to the Times, are lawyers is both shocking and sad. That the Times is pursuing and publishing what it openly declares to be information which may not be legally disclosed is equally sad.

“We intend to take the appropriate legal steps to see that the court orders are enforced.”

Where does a reporter draw line between simply reporting information that was criminally leaked and becoming complicit in a crime when obtaining that information?

Photo credit: WallyG / Flickr

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The public hysteria over anabolic steroids has spread to the debate involving the use of banned drugs to enhance antler growth in Texas white-tailed deer. There is concern that hunters’ trophies and records for huge racks could be tainted or subject to asterisks suggestive of the steroid era in baseball.

Anabolic steroid use does NOT appear to enhance antler growth and may actually have the opposite effect. Veterinarian Ken Waldrup, with the Department of State Health Services in El Paso, addressed the speculation that anabolic steroids were being used by white-tail deer breeders at a recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) White Tailed Deer Advisory Committee (”Juiced-up … deer? Say it ain’t so!,” July 16).

Waldrup, who has studied white-tailed deer for decades, said there could be some public health issues if deer treated with antibiotics in pens were released and killed and eaten shortly thereafter. However, the threat of growing big deer with hormones or testosterones is overblown, he said, and there’s no practical application that would work. [...]

“Please let me quickly add that anabolic steroids (i.e. like those used by Jose Canseco and others) will not do it,” he said. “At the meeting, I went through a short diagram showing how anabolic steroids could shorten or even stop antler growth rather than lengthening it.

“Anybody using anabolic steroids to potentially increase antler growth does not understand male deer physiology. Anabolic steroids also have all of the side effects in deer that they do in people, like joint damage and decreased sperm production (not a good thing for a breeding male).”

It appears that deer breeders who inject deer with anabolic steroids and testosterone may inadvertently shorten antler growth. It seems that high levels of androgens act as a “brake” to stop the growth of developing antlers. This pattern is seen in deer when antler growth stops as breeding season approach and circulating levels of testonsterone increase dramatically.

Dr. Ken Waldrup acknowledges that, while anabolic steroids are useless for enhancing antler growth, there are other drugs that that can be used for this purpose. Anabolic steroids do not appear to be one of them.

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The arrests of Mr. New Zealand and IFBB pro bodybuilder Marc Rainbow and amateur bodybuilder Andrew Lent in unrelated steroid cases have prompted concern among anti-doping officials that bodybuilding is the “supply network” for anabolic steroids in mainstream sports. Graeme Steel of Drug Free Sport New Zealand (DFSNZ) blamed bodybuilders for the spread of steroids in sports. There has been no reported evidence to substantiate the assertion that recently seized steroids were intended for New Zealand athletes (”Bodybuilders face steroid-sales charges,” May 31).

Steel says he is frustrated and concerned at this, and is keen to start testing bodybuilders again. He is particularly concerned that bodybuilding is now a “supply network” that feeds steroids into more mainstream sports codes.

“We have no doubt that the source of drugs for other athletes is likely to come through people who are importing as part of their bodybuilding regimes.”

DFSNZ’s Graeme Steel publicly criticized the IFBB-affiliated New Zealand Federation of Bodybuilders (NZFBB) and NABBA New Zealand for their failure to drug test bodybuilders. Steel wants the NZFBB and NABBA to implement steroid testing presumably to disrupt to alleged “supply network” that feeds mainstream sports.

Drug Free Sport NZ points out that steroid use was common among competitive bodybuilders when the NZFBB last conducted steroid testing over three years ago. Steel is upset that DFSNZ lacks the authority to investigate or suspend bodybuilders who use steroids.

…Steel says, about 30 percent of all infractions (failed tests or refusals) came from bodybuilders, although they made up just 5 percent of all sportspeople tested.

Now, bodybuilders are free to use steroids to boost their performance without fear of being banned from competition – or investigated by DFSNZ.

Contrary to the popular opinion, the typical anabolic steroid user is not a pro and/or competitive athletes but rather an individual merely seeking to improve their muscle size and/or physical appearance.

The legal cases of Marc Rainbow and Andrew Lent are unrelated and being tried separately in the Auckland District Court and Waitakere District Court, respectively. The only relationship is the fact that they are both bodybuilders – Andrew Lent is an active amateur bodybuilder and Marc Rainbow is a retired professional bodybuilder planning a comeback to the competitive stage. Both bodybuilders are contesting the allegations levelled by the New Zealand Medicines and Medical Devices Safety Authority (NZ MEDSAFE).

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Richard and Sandra Thomas, former competitive bodybuilders who competed in 2001 NPC Mid-Florida Muscle Classic mixed pairs competition, were arrested after undercover narcotics detectives recovered several thousand dosages of oral anabolic steroid, injectable steroids, and steroid paraphernalia some of which may have been destined for professional athletes. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) obtained an anticipatory search warrant in preparation for the controlled delivery after Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Philadelphia notified them that a large shipment of anabolic steroids was destined for the Lakeland, Florida home of Richard and Sandra Thomas. Polk Sheriff Grady Judd reported the steroid seizure as the largest in the history of the PCSO. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office apparently also seized copies of the steroid reference books “Anabolics 2007” and “Anabolics 9th Edition” which the photographer felt compelled to use creatively in official photographs of the steroid seizure (”PCSO reports on steroid arrest,” May 27).

PCSO detectives developed information from ICE agents in Philadelphia that there would be a package of illegal anabolic steroids delivered to the residence of Richard and Sandra Thomas at 1087 Stoney Creek Drive in Lakeland. After the delivery of the steroids, PCSO undercover Narcotics detectives and ICE agents executed a search warrant and recovered the steroids. In addition, they recovered Valium and thousands of anabolic steroid pills, injectable liquids, and syringes. Detectives also seized an AR-15 assault rifle, shotguns, and numerous semi-automatic handguns, all of which were loaded.

Richard Thomas talked freely and was extremely cooperative with detectives after his arrest up until he retained a lawyer. Thomas bragged to detectives about being the the largest dealer of anabolic steroids in the Central Florida area. The seized cache of bodybuilding drugs included various anabolic steroids and non-steroidal ancillary drugs.

Richard further stated that he was the largest steroid dealer in the state of Florida ten years ago, but now he is the biggest dealer only in the central Florida area. Richard’s mother told detectives that steroids is all he has ever known, and that his father introduced him to steroids. When Richard was asked if he was addicted to steroids, he replied, “It’s all I’ve ever known.”

Thomas also claimed to have sold steroids for several years to professional athletes in several sports including baseball, hockey and football.

Detectives asked Richard Thomas about his suppliers, and he stated that he purchased them from all over the world. He then stated that he was the biggest dealer of anabolic steroids in the central Florida area. Thomas further stated that he imported steroids from Iran, Pakistan, Slovakia, Russia, China, Turkey, Spain, Mexico, and Germany. Detectives specifically asked Richard if he had sold anabolic steroids to professional steroids, and he replied, “You name the sport, and I’ve sold steroids to athletes who play it.” He claims to have sold steroids to professional baseball players, hockey players, and football players.

Richard Thomas specifically identified the Washington Capitals hockey team and Washington Nationals baseball team as organizations which have players who are customers according to Sheriff Judd during a press conference late last night; Judd was quick to add that the PCSO has not substantiated Thomas’ allegations. Thomas did not identify professional athletes by name (”Authorities trumpet massive steroids bust in Polk,” May 26).

Richard Thomas openly bragged about selling steroids, though he wouldn’t name names.

“I can tell you this, there will be a whole lot of people puckered up after the morning news,” Judd said.

The former bodybuilders had placed 2nd place in the mixed pairs competition of the NPC Mid-Florida Muscle Classic in Orlando Florida on June 16, 2001.

Richard and his wife Sandra were semi-professional body builders themselves. One anabolic steroid they were found to be in possession of was Oxymetholone (from Iran), which they stated that “cops are afraid of this steroid because it makes people so crazy they can flip a car.”

Richard Thomas and Sandra Thomas were both charged with 10 counts Possession Anabolic Steroids With Intent to Sell or Distribute (F-1); 10 counts Importation of Anabolic Steroids Into the State of Florida; 1 count of possession of a firearm in commission of a felony; and 1 count Maintaining a Dwelling for Drug Sales.

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Former NFL running back Femi Ayanbadejo settled his lawsuit against ALR Industries in a confidential agreement. ALR Industries (ALRI) has NOT admitted wrongdoing. ALRI is proceeding with its defamation lawsuit seeking punitive damages against Ayanbadejo for his irresponsible and false statements alleging that ALRI spiked its supplements. Ayanbadejo tested positive for an ingredient clearly listed on the label of ALRI Max LMG during a doping test conducted by the National Football League (NFL) (”Ex-Aztec, company settle dispute over supplement’s label,” May 20).

“Sometimes athletes have a valid claim against these companies, and sometimes they don’t,” said Charles Weller, attorney for ALR Industries. “This was a perfect example of a situation where we don’t have a valid claim. Ayanbadejo tested positive for exactly what was on the label of Max LMG. In trying to save his career, he chose to point fingers at the supplement company. He took a dietary supplement without doing his due diligence.”

Ayanbadejo publicly told reporters that ALR Industries knowingly added a banned substance and intentionally failed to disclose it on the label of Max LMG. Jim Miller, Ayanbadejo’s attorney, blamed Ayanbadejo’s failed steroid test on either a cross-contaminated or intentionally spiked supplement. However, Ayanbadejo and his lawyer never submitted any evidence to support allegations that Max LMG was cross-contaminated or spiked.

An evaluation of the Max LMG label easily proves the LISTED ingredient(s) account for the failed test.

Femi Ayanbadejo tested positive for 19-noradrosta-4, 9-diene-3, 17-dione and 9(10)-dehydronandrolone (publicly described as a “form of nandrolone”) in a January 24, 2007 urine test administered by the NFL.

The ALRI Max LMG label prominently listed “estra-4, 9-diene-3, 17-dione” as an ingredient. “19-Noradrosta-4, 9-diene-3, 17-dione” is well-known in the scientfiic community as a synonym for “estra-4, 9-diene-3, 17-dione”. Furthermore, “9(10)-dehydronandrolone” is a known urinary metabolite of “estra-4, 9-diene-3, 17-dione”.

This clearly accounts for Femi Ayanbadejo’s positive steroid test.

The owners of ALR Industries filed a cross-complaint against Obafemi Ayanbadejo for defamation in December 2008. ALRI’s allegations of defamation and libel are outlined in court documents.

Plaintiff orally published false statements to third parties blaming Cross-Complainants for Plaintiff’s failed drug test, subsequent suspension and release from the NFL, and inability to find current employment as an NFL player. Plaintiff has told third parties, including journalists and television reporters that Cross-Complainants deliberately put a banned substance into the Max LMG supplement bottle which they deliberately did not mention in the supplement ingredients list. Additionally, Plaintiff told others that the Max LMG supplement was not properly labeled and led to his positive test. He even told USA Today, “I think the Company was trying to be cute by creating something that mimics a banned substance . . . it was labeled and nothing harmful was listed.” Plaintiff also told the San Diego Union Tribune which reported on March 12, 2008, that ALRI’s supplement was tainted and had a banned substance in it that was not listed on the bottle. In falsely accusing Cross-Complainant, he told www.steroid.com that, “Guys take certain things and [the makers] just change a molecule [in] it and it’s no longer that substance, but it’s something else that’s related to it” and that, “when you do a test it comes up in your system as a substance they’re trying to create.” He said, “it’s a designer form of an illegally banned substance.” Moreover, in a testimonial for LifeWave energy enhancer, Plaintiff claimed that he had, “taken a supplement for three weeks with a banned substance that was deliberately put into the bottle by the supplement company and also deliberately unmentioned in the supplement’s ingredient list.”

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The United Kingdom intends to expand its anabolic steroid laws in preparation for the 2012 London Olympics in response to pressure from the International Olympic Committee and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). The steroid law revision is largely a symbolic move by the United Kingdom. It is an attempt to appease WADA by showing their commitment anti-doping in sports; however, the personal use of anabolic steroids and the importation of anabolic steroids for personal use will continue to be permitted under UK steroid law. The proposed legislation is unlikely to have any effect on steroid use in the United Kingdom.

The new proposal seeks to make British steroid law consistent with the WADA prohibited substance list. The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs (ACMD) recommended adding an additional 24 anabolic steroids (mostly marginally effective prohormones) and 2 non-steroidal agents to the existing list of 54 anabolic steroid and 5 growth hormones currently classified as Schedule 4 (IV) controlled substances under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Suggestions by the media that the proposed changes to UK steroid law are intended to protect the children are disingenuous. The driving forces behind the new steroid laws are IOC/WADA and the 2012 London Olympics (”Proposed control of 1-benzylpiperazine (BZP) and a group of substituted piperazines, as well as an additional 24 anabolic steroids and 2 non-steroidal agents,” May 21).

The original group of steroids were identified by reference to the International Olympic Commission Prohibited List. It is therefore appropriate for us to update our controls by reference to its successor, the World Anti-Doping Agency Prohibited List. It will provide consistency in our approach and is fully in line with the Government’s commitment to prevent the misuse of these substances both by the general public but also by elite athletes, particularly in the lead up to the London Olympics in 2012. [...]

The measure to control 24 additional anabolic steroid substances and 2 non-steroidal products under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 will support the Government’s commitment to strengthening the mechanisms to tackle doping in sport, targeting those facilitating doping and tackle trafficking, supply and manufacture of doping substances and those involved in such activities.

The IOC has long pressured the United Kingdom to criminalize personal use of steroids. Without changes to steroid possession laws, the IOC and WADA are unlikely to be satisfied by the Home Office’s latest recommendations. The United Kingdom’s permissive steroid possession laws will likely become increasingly problematic as the 2012 London Olympics approach. We expect the IOC to continue to lobby the U.K. government to adopt legislation that criminalizes mere use and possession of anabolic steroids.

The personal use of anabolic steroids and the importation of anabolic steroids for personal use remains explicitly permitted in the United Kingdom when in the form of a medicinal product under the new proposals. Only illicit steroid dealers, suppliers, and traffickers who profit from selling steroids are subject to criminal prosecution. Harsh penalties are reserved for those who “produce, supply or possess/import/export with intent to supply without a licence”.

When controls were first introduced for steroids in 1996, the Government accepted the ACMD’s advice that there should not be a possession offence when the steroids are in the form of a medicinal product and for personal use. Controls on anabolic steroids continue to be targeted at those illicit suppliers and traffickers who profit from selling these substances. As Class C drugs the maximum sentence for supply, trafficking and production is 14 years. [...]

It was not recommended that an offence of simple possession be introduced as that would unnecessarily criminalise a group of people. It is therefore not an offence to simply possess anabolic steroids when in the form of a medicinal product for personal use. In the absence of a simple possession offence, it was considered anomalous and contrary to EU restrictions to make the importation or exportation of the substances for personal use an offence i.e. to have a stricter regime of controls at ports. Permitting importation for personal use was consistent with permitting simple possession inland. However, in all other circumstances importation and exportation would require a Home Office licence; such activity without a licence is an offence. The Government accepted this advice and anabolic steroids were brought under the legislative framework.

In 1995, the ACMD gave further consideration to the drugs that should be included in the legislative measure. As well as anabolic steroids, beta-2-agonists and growth hormones were considered for control. The ACMD acknowledged that people involved in sporting activities took a wide range of substances; the most common reasons cited included legitimate therapeutic purposes, performance continuation, performance enhancement and recreational use. The ACMD also took into account at this time the anabolic substances and androgenic (or masculinising) substances which are banned in sports and on the International Olympic Commission (IOC) list- (now known as the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibited list).

Currently 54 anabolic steroid substances, as well as 5 growth hormones, are controlled as Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 by a generic definition. They were made subject to Schedule 4 Part 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 with additional import/ export restrictions. It is an offence under the Act to produce, supply or possess/import/export with intent to supply without a licence. The current regulations for Schedule 4 Part 2 require a Home Office licence to be issued for those importing/ exporting anabolic steroids unless the substance is in the form of medicinal product being imported for personal use only.

The government admits that “there is little evidence of misuse by the general public of these specific additional substances”. Remarkably, the legislation is not based on “evidence of misuse” but primarily on allegedly well-established “principle of controlling anabolic steroids as Class C drugs”.

It is noteworthy to compare and contrast United Kingdom steroid law with United States steroid law.

Personal use of anabolic steroids and importation of anabolic steroids for personal use is explicitly permitted in the United Kingdom.

Non-medical use of anabolic steroids and importation of anabolic steroids for personal use is criminalized in the United States.

Steroid laws in the United Kingdom based on “demand reduction, harm minimisation and reduction of supply”.

Steroid laws in the United States based on prosecuting steroid users and steroid distributors.

Physicians can prescribe ANY anabolic steroid on the controlled substance list for medicinal purposes in the United Kingdom even though testosterone and nandrolone decanoate are the only androgens and anabolic steroids licensed for use in the U.K.

Physicians risk criminal prosecution in the United States if they prescribe any controlled anabolic steroids lacking FDA approval for human use and possibly for prescribing anabolic steroids for off-label purposes especially for performance-enhancing purposes.

* ACMD recommendation that an additional 24 Anabolic Steroids and 2 non-steroidal agents (growth promoters) are brought under the control of the 1971 Misuse of Drugs Act as Class C drugs and placed in Part 2 of Schedule 4 to the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 so as not to preclude legitimate use on prescription. All 26 substances are not subsumed by the MDA 1996 generic definition; neither are they listed explicitly by SI 1243:2003 or SI 1300:1996. Zeranol & Zilpaterol are not steroids but the WADA sub-category includes Clenbuterol, which is MDA controlled.

These are as follows:

1-Androstendiol
1-Androstendione
Boldione
Gestrinone
Danazol
Desoexoymethyltestosterone
19-Norandrostenedione
Prostanozol
Tetrahydrogestrinone
Dihydrotestosterone
5α-Androstane-3α,17α-diol
5α-Androstane-3β,17α-diol
Androst-4-ene-3β,17β-diol (‘Androstenediol’)
Androst-4-ene-3α,17α-diol
Androst-4-ene-3α,17β-diol
5-Androstenedione
Epidihydrotestosterone
3α-Hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one
3β-Hydroxy-5α-androstan-17-one
19-Norandrosterone
19-Noretiocholanolone
Zeranol
Zilpaterol

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The 2009 NABBA Belgium Nationals Bodybuilding Championships were cancelled yesterday after three anti-doping official arrived unannounced to conduct steroid testing. The NABBA Belgium sanctioned bodybuilding championship was to be held at Arsenaal Theater in Vlissingen, Netherlands on Sunday, May 17, 2009.  The 20 bodybuilding competitors were reported to have “fled” the auditorium when the steroid testers arrived (”Bodybuilders op de vlucht voor dopingartsen,” May 18). 

“I have never seen anything like it and hope never to see anything like it again,” said anti-doping official Hans Cooman… “In the bodybuilding world doping control is necessary because we know that there is a lot of doping going on. The results prove this again and again.”

Cooman said he had no choice but to conclude that all the competitors were using steroids based on their abrupt departure from the venue.

“Sometimes sports federations take the initiative and invite us to come by, like the cycling union does. But we have never had an invitation like this from bodybuilders.”

Hans Cooman also accused the organizers of the 2009 NABBA Belgian Bodybuilding Championships of moving the competition across the border into The Netherlands in an attempt to avoid Belgian doping officials. Cooman called this attempt futile as Belgian anti-doping are willing to travel to nearby countries to bust athletes and/or solicit the assistance of anti-doping agencies in other countries to catch Belgian bodybuilders (”Bodybuilding championship canceled after competitors flee,” May 18).

Bodybuilding has a long history of doping, and Cooman said this latest flap “didn’t do its reputation any good.”

Last year, 22 of 29 tests were positive, either for steroids or for refusing testing, a failure rate of a staggering 75 percent.

“This was the first time though we turned up in the Netherlands,” Cooman said.

Anabolic steroid use in competitive bodybuilding has largely escaped the scrutiny by law enforcement and anti-doping officials. However, recent steroid arrests by officials in the United States, large scale steroid inquiries in Sweden, and now surprise unannounced steroid testing in Belgium suggests increased interest in bodybuilding.

See also story by 24 Oranges.

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Sports Illustrated journalist Selena Roberts claims to have “irrefutable” proof that Yankees Alex Rodriguez used anabolic steroids as a teenager baseball player at Westminster Christian High School in Miami. Roberts’ certainty is largely based on A-Rod’s self-reported weight gain and weight training progress during high school. The New York Daily News published excerpts from Roberts’ new book “A-Rod: The Many Lives of Alex Rodriguez“ suggesting Rodriguez “may have bulked up with steroids as early as high school.” Selena Roberts attempted to clarify those comments in an appearance on the Dan Patrick show (”SI’s Selena Roberts clarifies A-Rod steroids report,” April 30).

“He said as a sophomore he could barely bench press 100 pounds,” Roberts said. “Six months later he’s bulked up 20-25 pounds and he had increased his level from 100 pounds to 310 pounds. That’s a pretty shocking leap for six months. That, in conjuntion with the reporting that I did with [his high school] teammates would make it irrefutable to me, not a ‘may have.’”

Selena Roberts’ credibility has taken a major hit from these comments. Roberts inexplicably ignores the dramatic weight gain that normally occurs in boys during high school without the use of steroids. The CDC growth charts reveal teenage boys normally gain 35-45 lbs. during high school. Roberts also appears unfamiliar with the dramatic increases in strength and muscle mass that novice weightlifters experience when first engaging in a resistance training program particularly when accompanied by a bodybuilding-type diet. Any male that has started bodybuilding during puberty knows that a 20-25 weight gain is not unusual without the use of anabolic steroids.

Selena Roberts relies on two former Westminster Christian High School students to further support her “irrefutable” assertion that A-Rod used steroids as a teenager. One former teammate told Roberts that Rodriguez used steroids in high school with the coach’s knowledge. Another former student told Roberts that the coach’s son saw Rodriguez use steroids.

Another former teammate at Westminster Christian High School strongly refuted the allegations made by Selena Roberts in her book. Dodgers Doug Mientkiewicz told the Los Angeles Times that he never witnessed A-Rod using steroids in high school (”Doug Mientkiewicz never saw A-Rod use steroids in high school,” April 30).

“From my perspective, it would be 99.9% impossible for us not to know,” said Mientkiewicz, who was a year ahead of Rodriguez in school. [...]

“You’re basically accusing every kid that’s gone through puberty that they’re on steroids, too, huh?” Mienkiewicz said. “He gained a couple of inches height-wise too, if I remember right. . . . I knew what he looked like in ninth grade. He was skinny. Who isn’t in ninth grade? He was very dedicated back then, he worked harder than anyone else.”

Selena Roberts and her colleague David Epstein revealed in February 2009 that Rodriguez tested positive for testosterone and Primobolan (methenolone) during “anonymous” and “confidential” doping tests adminstered by Major League Baseball. Alex Rodriguez subsequently admitted to using anabolic steroids during a short period in his career.

Selena Roberts apparently saved the best steroid stories for her book according to her editor at Harper David Hirshey (“Who’s ‘This Lady’? Meet Selena Roberts, A-Rod’s Worst Nightmare,” February 10, 2009).

“I assure you she has more drug revelations as well as other news. Not everything that Selena has on A-Rod’s steroid participation has come out yet.”

Roberts’ journalistic integrity could take a major hit if the standard of evidence used to support additional sensationalistic “steroid participation” stories is as “irrefutable” as the evidence of teen steroid use.

Sadly, most journalists have not bothered to scrutinize the so-called “irrefutable” evidence.

Post from: MESO-Rx Blog

Written by: Millard Baker | Twitter | FriendFeed | Facebook | E-mail