| There is a large variety of steroids that are being | | | | who have won Olympic gold medals have been |
| used by lots of people for the purposes of | | | | striped of their titles and handed long bans or life |
| bodybuilding. Steroids have not been restricted to | | | | bans from their respective sports. There are two |
| those in the bodybuilding arena alone; lots of | | | | prominent incidences of the sort involving |
| different athletes have been using steroids to | | | | sprinters Ben Johnson and Marion Jones. Johnson |
| boost their performance levels and to enhance | | | | the Canadian sprinter was stripped of the 100m |
| muscle growth and repair for over 90 years. Most | | | | gold medal in the Seoul games of 1988. Marion |
| athletes who use steroids for non-medicinal | | | | Jones was stripped of individual and team honors |
| purposes are mainly those who are engaged in | | | | which she had won in the 2004 Athens games. |
| various power sports and intense athletic sports. | | | | The use of steroids for the purposes of boosting |
| Steroids are therefore consumed by athletes who | | | | athletic capabilities is an unethical practice that is |
| compete in track and field events, those who are | | | | firmly prohibited by the United States Olympic |
| in power lifting, wrestling, football, soccer, rugby | | | | Committee (USOC), the Military services and |
| and baseball. There is a prevalent perception that | | | | other sport governing bodies. |
| steroids can be used to accumulate more muscle | | | | There are many types of steroids that have |
| rapidly, increase the body bulk and therefore body | | | | been developed to suit the requirements of |
| strength, and in effect improve the general | | | | different athletes. A sprinter may need to use a |
| competitiveness of the individual. There are up to | | | | steroid that will enhance his or her speed and |
| 3 million athletes in the United States alone who | | | | endurance. This requirement is not necessary for |
| have or are still using steroids. | | | | the power-lifter. He or she will require a steroid |
| Research into the use of steroids has revealed | | | | that will provide extra strength required to lift |
| that as much as 2% of budding athletes between | | | | heavier weights for longer training periods. |
| ages 10 and 14 have had access and actually | | | | Anabolic steroids as they are otherwise known |
| used steroids. As much as 5-10% of high school | | | | are engineered to give the users' bodies an |
| athletes are currently using steroids while the | | | | increased ability to grow and bulk muscle groups |
| figure for athletes in college stands at 5%. All | | | | faster. The muscles are also able to get repaired |
| these young people are using steroids despite the | | | | faster in case of tears and injuries. Further |
| fact that these substances are classified as class | | | | steroids of different types have been engineered |
| III drugs and banned by law. | | | | to give the desired effects in selected parts of |
| Administrative and legal bottlenecks have served | | | | the body. To name a few steroids we can list |
| to stifle attempts to establish the actual numbers | | | | Android, Dianabol, Proviron, Danabol and |
| of professional and Olympic athletes who are on | | | | Primonabol-Depot. |
| steroids. However, a number of athletes, some of | | | | |