Performance enhancing drugs could be a lifetime problem of many sports organizations worldwide. Even with strict policies and stiff sanctions given to violators, the number of athletes caught positive for a banned substance is still growing. Cheaters were not only coming from the professional leagues but a number of amateur athletes are also involved in the use of performance enhancers. Moreover, statistics shows that most of these athletes came from sports which require great stamina and endurance.

Last month, Olympian sprinter Crystal Cox was one of the headlines in most sports media because of her admission that she took anabolic steroids during the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, she made a clarification that she was only forced to admit steroid use to avoid stiffer sanction that is a lifetime ban in the sports. Her connection with the BALCO scandal is one of the reasons why she was pinned for using steroids. Her case is another blow to the credibility of the US sports development and training programs.

The US anti-doping agency already gave Cox a four year suspension for the offense and at the same time disqualifications of her achievements from 2001 to 2004 which includes her Olympic gold medal. And now the IAAF is recommending for the disqualification of the entire relay team in the Athens Olympics. The U.S. women’s 4×400 meter relay team won the gold in that competition. The team was composed of Moushaumi Robinson, Monique Henderson, DeeDee Trotter, Monique Hennagan and Sanya Richards. The international athletic federation said that under the rules the US relay team results should be disqualified.

In Johannesburg, South Africa, the promising young boxer Jared Lovett was also banned for 2 years by the South African Institute for Drug-Free Sport. Last year, Lovett tested positive for anabolic steroid stanozolol after his fight against Thomas Oosthuizen. He fought for the IBO Light Heavyweight Youth Belt but lost on points to Oosthuizen. Lovett’s ban will end in July 2011. Boxing enthusiasts and trainers were dismayed by the incident since they can see a good boxing career for Lovett who was nicknamed “The Storm”.

The Australian Sports Anti-Doping Authority also announced last week that a two-year ban on 2008 International Sport Kickboxing Association welterweight world champion Andrew Keogh will be imposed. The Queensland police found Keogh in possession of HGH in December 2008. He pleaded guilty for possessing dangerous drugs on January 21, 2009. The anti-doping agency’s sanction is based on his possession and use of HGH.

The Major League Baseball also announced yesterday that two of its minor league players will be banned for 50 games and the other one will received 100 games suspension. It is not surprising that the players who tested positive for a banned substance were both Dominican. Cleveland Indians Minor League pitcher Jeffry Cleto has received a 50-game suspension for failing a drug test for steroids. The result showed that Cleto was using Stanozolol.

Gregorio Robles, Chicago Cubs outfielder received 100 games suspension because it is already his second offense. His previous suspension has not yet been fully served with 43 games left. The suspension for both players will start at the start of the 2010 season. Both tested positive for the metabolites Stanozolol.

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