Many of the people who use anabolic steroids as a performance-enhancing drug claim that steroids is not physically or mentally addictive, yet a research study conducted at the University of Southern California found that hamsters exposed to steroids over a period of time demonstrated addictive behavior toward steroids.

Lead researcher Ruth Wood, PhD, who is also professor of Cell and Neurobiology at the USC said that most people who use anabolic steroids to enhance their physical performance or to build muscle mass deny that steroids may be addictive. She added that unlike other commonly abused drugs which are mostly used to get high, anabolic steroids is used to increase muscle mass and achieve enhanced athletic performance. Because of the complex motivations involved in the use of steroids, Wood said that it was difficult to determine whether anabolic steroids have addictive properties in humans. Their goal in conducting the study was to create an experimental model of addiction where reinforcing effects such as athletic performance are made irrelevant.

According to the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology’s annual conference news release, Wood’s study was one of the first to study the addictive potential of anabolic steroids. The study was modeled after previous well-established methods for studying highly addictive drugs such as heroin and cocaine.

In the study, the hamsters were implanted with small cannulas for making them able to administer steroids into their brains by themselves. The hamsters were then made to spend four hours a day in a chamber where there was access to two delivery mechanisms for the steroids. Whenever a hamster operated the active delivery mechanism, it received one microgram of testosterone or one of the following commonly abused steroids: drostanolone, nandrolone, oxymetholone, and stanozolol. The inactive mechanism was made to produce no response. A computer logged the number of times that each hamster used the active and inactive delivery mechanisms. At the end of the study, the hamsters showed a marked preference for testosterone, drostanolone, and nandrolone, using the active delivery system twice as often as the inactive one. The study showed that not all kinds of steroids were rewarding for the hamsters are they did not voluntary inject the weaker form of steroids, oxymetholone and stanozolol. The researchers isolated the hamsters to remove the possibility that their decision to administer the steroids would be affected by any behavioral or social factors.

Ruth Wood said that it was clear in the study that the hamsters perceive the steroids to be rewarding and thus took them twice more than the control. This preference is able to demonstrate that there is a potential for forming an addiction to steroids. Wood further explained that steroid users feel better when they are on the drugs than they do when they are off them. The findings show that anabolic steroids do have the potential to be addictive, said Wood, adding that athletes and coaches should be made aware of this potential and include this to the list of dangers associated with the illicit use of anabolic steroids.

London lawyer John Cooper accused the queen’s police officers responsible for protecting the British Royal Family of trading pornography, handling firearms while drunk, and taking steroids. He also accused them of having sat on Queen Elizabeth II’s throne in ludicrous poses. The allegations have been passed in a London court.

According to the British Press Association report, John Cooper is the lawyer of former royal protection officer Paul Page, who is currently accused of defrauding friends and colleagues for funding an expensive lifestyle. Cooper’s claims were made during an extensive cross-examination of Page’s colleague, Adam McGregor, who left the royal protection service at London’s Buckingham Palace in 2005. McGregor accused Paul Page of conning him out of thousands of dollars.

Cooper implied at one point that there was a practice among armed officers at the Buckingham Palace where one officer would sleep while the other officers were supposed to keep watch for the superior officer. McGregor denied Cooper’s suggestions and said that he had no knowledge of this practice or any wrongdoing happening among his colleagues at the Royal residence. When pressed, however, McGregor admitted to sitting on one of the thrones but said that he did not recall doing any of the “comical poses” alleged by Cooper.

In the hearing, the officers assigned to protect the royal family also allegedly lost more than 250,000 pounds or 365,800 US dollars, to a betting venture called “The Currency Club.” This spread betting venture was apparently only one of the various profitable sidelines that Page set up to help clear his spiraling debts. It was said in the report by the BBC that Page was able to extract around 3 million pounds or 4.4 million US dollars from about fifty-seven different investors and lenders.

Cooper accused McGregor as one of the police officers who were using mobile patrols to deliver the cash to the other police officers who were assigned in Royal Protection and were involved in financial matters. Again, McGregor denied this accusation. Instead, he claimed that he had been totally duped or “sucked in” by Page, saying that Page was a very charismatic person. McGregor also added that he had acted very stupidly and naively in some of his dealings with the former colleague.

The prosecution trying Page said that most of the money that was ill-gotten by Page was immediately laundered by Page’s wife Laura before it was gambled away. Prosecution also claimed that Page hid his dishonesty behind a mask of credibility, creating a show of a fleet of expensive cars and claiming that he was a highly qualified market speculator and property developer.

Age 37 and a father of five, Page is from Essex in the south-east part of England. He denied five charges against him—one of intimidation, two of fraudulent trading, and threatening to take revenge and threatening to kill sometime between January 1, 2003 and March 30, 2007. Page’s wife Laura, 42 years of age, also denied being a part of the arrangement of facilitating dealings with criminal property, as well as threatening to kill and intimidation.

Thirty-two doping experts from around Europe converged at the first-ever European Athletics Doping Control Delegates Seminar. The said seminar was held recently in Darmstadt, Germany.

All of the delegates are experienced in Doping Control. They are either former Doping Control Delegates or they have worked as Doping Control Officers in their respective countries’ national anti-doping organization.

Here are some of the important events and activities in the seminar. During the opening, Pedro Branco, the Chairman of European Athletics Medical and Anti-Doping Commission, talked about the purpose of having the seminar. He also talked about what the European Athletics’ anti-doping structure and strategy. Jan Engstrom, a member of the European Athletics Medical and Anti-Doping Commission, followed Mr. Branco’s opening and gave a presentation which tackles the overview of European Athletics Doping Control Delegate Management system. He also discussed the Doping Control Delegate (DCD) and its roles and duties.

Mr. Gabiel Dolle, the IAAF Anti-Doping Department Head, was also present in the seminar and gave a talk about DCD’s history as well as the many programs and anti-doping rules currently implemented by the IAAF.

The succeeding preparations were also delivered by other members of the European Athletics Medical and Anti-doping Commission. Miss Anne Jacob tackled about how to prepare and how to conduct the testing. She also discussed about the facilities in the doping control station. Following that is Mr. Engstrom, who delivered a presentation about the policy regarding how to select the athletes that are to be tested.

Oslo Laboratory’s Scientific Director, Mr. Peter Hemmersbach, was also present in the seminar. He gave a presentation about effective testing from the point of view of the laboratory. He also discussed why diluted samples are significant in testing.

Following Mr. Hemmershbach’s presentation was Mr. Guiseppe Fischetto, who delivered a presentation about blood testing. He covered blood testing’s purpose in his presentation as well as the protocols on collecting blood. Issues regarding transportation of samples to the laboratory were also tackled and questions were accepted from the floor.

On the third day of the seminar, group discussions regarding different true-to-life scenarios were conducted. In this activity, the delegates were split into five groups. Each group was tasked to talk about three to four varying situations. After the discussion, each group were made to present their solutions to the entire delegation.

Ede Rutkovszky, who is from the European Athletics Office, shared to the group about how to access the online database and other support being provided by the European Athletics. She also covered what are being expected from a Doping Control Delegate.

The final activity of the seminar was the one-hour examination, which was composed of free text and multiple choice questions. Overall, the convention of doping experts was hailed as a success. As more and more athletes are being caught using anabolic steroids, stimulants and performance enhancing substances, authorities must be more vigilant and strict in implementing testing and anti doping codes.

International football forward Andre Arshavin was able to score four goals in a recent game versus Liverpool. How did he do it? The feat has led critics to speculate that the athlete could have possibly injected himself with testicles of a monkey, something which is not unprecented in sports history.

In 1946, details regarding the career of Dennis Westcott, the former wings forward of Wolverhampton Wanderers, shocked the entire world. It was reported that Westcott, together with some other members of Wolves were made to undergo a systematic programme of doping by Major Frank Buckley, their manager. What Buckley did back then was that he injected his players with some small slices of monkey testicles. It was reported that Buckley did that because he wants to utilize the latest advancements in sports science.

Before Arshavin, it was Dennis Westcott who has the record of being the last visiting player who was able to score four goals. Westcott is an English football player. He played as a striker for Blackburn Rovers, Chesterfield, New Brighton, , Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers. When competitive football was resumed after being suspended because of the Second World War, Westcott was able to set a club record by scoring 38 goals during the 1946-47 seasons. That feat made him the league’s top scorer.

Buckley, Westcott’s manager, was acquainted in the process of using monkey testicles by a disciple of Serge Voronoff. Voronoff is a Russian surgeon and is the one who pioneered the said doping process. According to Buckley, he tried the treatment first on himself since he was still sceptical about it at first. After three to four months, he was able to feel the benefits of the said treatment. It was then when he asked his players whether they are willing to undergo the same treatment.

It was apparent that Westcott have benefited from the treatment his manager made him undertake. His four goals during their game against Liverpool were followed by four more the week after. In the 35 games he had during the 1946-47 season, he was able to score 38 goals. It was after that feat was made when the monkey gland treatment became popular in the football.

According to Paul Dimeo, a historian, the success of Buckley’s team as well their physical strength is being accorded to the treatment that they undertook. After the season, Jack Tinn, the Portsmouth manager, also made his players undertake the same treatment.

Even if the Wolves succeeded because of the said monkey gland treatment, the said treatment did not became as favored as it could have been. This is primarily attributed to mainstream science’s turning back on the methods popularized by Voronoff. Eventually, the monkey farm of Voronoff was closed down. Football players then returned to methods that are more acknowledged.

And now, after more than sixty years, the whopping performance of Arshavin has once again put back this so-called “monkey business” back in the spotlight again. Did he or did he not? Let history be the judge.

It was reported on Thursday that the Japan Sumo Association had already conducted their first-ever random drug tests on its Japanese Wrestlers. It was administered by the Mitsubishi Chemical Medience Corporation, which is the sole institution given certification by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

Earlier this year, the image of sumo wrestling, which is Japan’s ancient national sport, was tainted after several wrestlers were arrested for alleged marijuana use. The results of the marijuana tests are still being awaited for release.

In September last year, two Russian sumo wrestlers named Roho and Hakurozan had tested positive for weed usage. These two Russians are brothers. The said results were announced by Shohei Onishi, Japan Sumo Association’s anti-doping panel official. There are still no announcements as to what punishments the two Russian sumo wrestlers are set to face. While under interrogation, the two of them had vehemently denied the accusations that they were under the influence of marijuana.

Recently, a 25-year old second-division wrestler named Shinichi Suzuki, or more popularly known as Wakakirin, was among those who were arrested after being suspected of marijuana possession. The charge of marijuana possession were made in Tokyo on January 30. He was then sentenced to be jailed for 10 months.

According to reports, Musashigawa, the JSA chief, made an apology to Mr. Ryu Shionoya, the Education Minister, because of the drug scandals that are continuously tainting the reputation of the ancient sport. He then promised to conduct aggressive random urine tests in order to fight drug use among the athletes.

New anti-doping rules were then placed by the JSA in late February. With these rules, JSA members are being tested without being given any warnings.

Sumo wrestlers are generally expected to hold high standards of moral behaviour. Just last year, Asashoryu, a sumo wrestling champion, was suspended after lying that he had an injury. In 2000, the Japanese wrestler named Toki was also punished after killing someone while driving.
Marijuana possession is an offense that is punishable under Japanese law. Japanese possessing marijuana could be imprisoned for up to five years. Foreigners caught with marijuana within the Japanese terriotory could be deported and could be blacklisted for their lifetime.

In the last few years, several high-profile arrests for marijuana possession have taken place in Japan. Shockingly, sumo wrestlers are not the only ones who were arrested. Members of the national rugby team and some big-time musicians were also arrested for using and possession of marijuana. According to the Japanese Police, 2,778 people were arrested in Japan in the year 2008 for marijuana-related crimes.

The newly implemented rules on random testing for sumo wrestlers will not only target maijuana use and possession but also determine if the wrestlers are using other prohibited substances such as anabolic steroids, EPO and other performance enhancing agents.

A 17 year old cadet died in the hospital in Southend, Essex, UK for allegedly taking a bodybuilding steroid from the black market. His desire to make it to the marines when he turns 18 a few more months caused his life to an end. The teenager, Matt Dear, who took £30 worth of pills from an underground source was hospitalized and died due to swelling of the brain.

His father told the major dailies in the UK that Matt was brought to the hospital two weeks ago because of food poisoning. He said that Matt’s condition was attributed to a barbeque he ate that time. “I put it down to food poisoning. Even though he felt ill, he still went to work,” he said. They did not suspect that he already took several doses of steroids. His son spent a lot of his time in the gym. Matt was also a health conscious guy and he didn’t smoke, seldom drinks and avoids painkillers and even chocolates.

The condition of Matt became worst when he complained that he has a problem with his eyes. “He said he didn’t know where he was. His pupils were the size of saucers and he seemed really ill.” “When paramedics arrived, Matt told them he’d taken steroids. This was the first we knew,” he added.

Although Matt was discharged the next day since he felt better, his dad was still angry at him for taking those steroids pills. In the evening, Matt told his brother that he can’t see so he was brought again to the hospital. The initial test did not show any major concern for the doctors. However the next day of his confinement, Matt felt that he was drunk and suffering from too much stomach pain. His father said that he was screaming out in pain. “He was in such agony. It was unbearable to see. They moved him to the critical unit. They had to sedate him and he started to have fits. They did another scan and told us his brain had swollen,” he said. According to the doctors Matt’s brain had died while his kidneys packed in.

There will be an investigation if the steroids were the only cause of Matt’s death. A post mortem examination will be made to determine the exact cause of death and to know what particular steroid he took. Jim Sandford who is in charge of the investigation told major news agencies that they are still waiting for the various tests results being carried out on the type of tablets that were taken by Matt.

The spokeswoman of the Essex Police warned youngsters to take extreme caution before taking any performance enhancing drugs especially if it is not prescribed by experts or doctors. Essex Police arrested 3 men on the suspicion of supplying a controlled substance but was later released on bail. They are expected to face the charges on June 23.

Matt is a part time postman in the army and a marine cadet since 12. His father said that Matt’s ultimate dream is to be part of the armed forces. The pressure caused him to take anabolic steroids. Matt’s case will again add up to the increasing number of teens involved in taking steroids in the UK which already alarmed some lawmakers.