At last the steroid talk between Shane Mosley and Floyd Mayweather Jr will now end on May 1. We just hope that the unending accusation made by the 2 fighters will end in the ring. Although, steroid use is an issue but talking about it the whole promotion period is seen by others as a marketing tool to make the fight an interesting one. The Olympic style blood testing which Floyd Mayweather wants was already imposed but they still continue to accuse each other of using steroids.

Fighting outside the ring will not help settle the issue of using performance enhancing drugs in boxing. Shane Mosley is still fighting for his defamation suit against Victor Conte, the BALCO founder who allegedly gave him the designer steroids “the clear” and “the cream” plus the blood boosting drug EPO. The public knows that Shane Mosley was previously involved in the use of performance enhancers based on his previous statements. Although he denied that he knowingly ingested those illegal substances.

With the inclusion of the WADA style steroid testing in Mayweather-Mosley fight, it is logical that these fighters will not touch any drug that will cause a red flag in the result. So using the steroid issue and continuously accusing each other of using steroid is something that makes us wonder.

Let’s take a look at what these two fighters are into weeks before the fight. Forget about the training, the fight plan and the sparring sessions. Headlines are not about these things but its all about steroids. We have now a new sport: Steroid Boxing.

In last weeks’ interview Shane Mosley said that Floyd Mayweather is on steroids and the people around him are on steroids. “What’s weird to me is that everybody on his whole team, all of his security guards, they look like they’re on steroids. They all look like they’re on ‘roids, and I don’t understand it. I mean, why does he [Mayweather] keep saying, ‘Steroids, steroids, steroids,’” Mosley said. If these people around him are on steroids maybe Floyd also dibbles and dabbles a little bit. “The guy that keeps talking, you know, the guys that usually talk about it all of the time, ‘Oh, steroids, steroids, steroids, oh, oh,’ they’re usually the ones on it,” Mosley added.

Floyd Mayweather refutes this allegation. “Why would I bring USADA to the table, why would I bring the Olympic drug committee to the table, if I’m doing something? Why would I want to bust myself? That doesn’t make sense.” Floyd also said that Mosley already lied under oath and it makes him a less credible fighter. “Like I said before, we don’t really know how many fights Shane has won, being clean. We don’t know. Has he ever been clean? Do we know? No, we don’t know,” Floyd added.

In another interview with the Complex.com, Mosley again said that it is probably that Floyd who is on steroids and not him and accuses Mayweather of hyping the fight. “Yeah, he is hyping up the fight with, “HGH and steroids, I never got caught.” Me either,” said Mosley. “His father and probably him are taking HGH. It’s usually the ones who are saying this type of stuff are the ones who know a lot about this HGH stuff.”

Mosley also said that Floyd is a liar. “That’s the thing about Floyd, he tells so many different lies. Every time he lies and put stuff out there he is entertaining. And people out there believe it.”

In a study conducted by a group of doctors revealed that the long term use of anabolic steroids can weaken the heart and could increase the risk of heart failure. The findings were published in the latest edition of the American Heart Association journal Circulation: Heart Failure.

Previous studies have little data to prove that anabolic steroids can directly harm the heart and its normal functions. Most studies were centered on the effects of steroids on the kidneys and liver. The researchers also noted that the previous studies conducted in Europe used professional athletes as the subject of the study. Most of them took different supplements which makes it very difficult to associate heart problems to steroids alone. And since they are competitive athletes, it is also expected that they have healthier bodies.

The doctors from the Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston headed by Dr. Aaron L. Baggish decided to make a separate study to determine the extent of anabolic steroids’ effects to the heart. But their study only focused on recreational athletes or bodybuilders. The group recruited 12 male weightlifters with an average age of 40. The data from these weightlifters who are taking 675 milligrams of steroids per week for nine years was compared to other weightlifters with the same statistics except that they did not took steroids.

Dr. Baggish told WebMD that steroids use is not only confined in professional sports but it is now becoming popular for casual athletes. “Steroid use in the general public wasn’t really an issue until the late 1980s or even the mid-1990s. Even now, when we hear about steroids it’s because a professional baseball player or cyclist has taken them. But the vast majority of steroid use is now happening among casual athletes who work 9-to-5 jobs,” he said.

The group used the Doppler echocardiographytechnique to examine the left ventricle’s function and structure. It uses an ultrasound to conduct graphical assessment of the heart particularly its blood flow. With this method, the ejection fraction of the heart is measured. The normal ejection fraction is between 55% to 70%. 10 weightlifters who took steroids for longer periods showed a lower percentage with an average of 50% while those who did not took any anabolic steroids has a higher ejection fraction averaging 59%. Only 1 of the seven non-steroid user returned a below normal figure. Low ejection fraction increases the risk of heart disease and heart failure. It was also noted that the steroid group had impaired diastolic functions.

The researchers hope that with their findings, people will now recognize the effects of steroids to the heart. “What we hope is that people start recognizing steroid use as a potential cause of heart disease and a cause of otherwise unexplained heart dysfunction in young people,” said Baggish. “I think for the first time we’re starting to realize that the heart is one of the organs that is negatively impacted by long-term steroid use,” he added.

Since it was only a micro-study, other questions are still left unanswered. According to Dr. Baggish, it is not yet clear whether the impact of long term steroid use on the heart is still reversible once these people stoppped using the drug.

Their findings will also help health practitioners in the proper diagnosis of patients with heart problems. They can now include anabolic steroids use as one of the possible causes of left ventricular dysfunction in young people who are considered healthy according to Dr. Baggish. “Doctors need to ask their patients if they use steroids.”

Ann F. Bolger, spokeswoman of the American Heart Association, said that further studies should be conducted to confirm the findings. However, she agreed that the use of anabolic steroid needs to be on the radar of evaluating clinician regarding the heart disease risks of their patients. “This is a wake-up call to practitioners to ask about steroid use,” said Bolger who is a professor of clinical medicine at the University of California. “We would never dream of not asking if a patient smokes or if they have high blood pressure or diabetes. But I’m guessing very few ask about steroid use,” she said.

Shane Mosley is one of the controversial boxing athletes suspected for steroid use. He is the current WBA Welterweight Super Champion and a major proprietor of the Golden Boy promotions. He is scheduled to fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. on Saturday, May 1, 2010 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

However, while he answers questions about his anticipated fight with Mayweather, he is also asked about his use of steroids during his fights. The very controversial BALCO performance-enhancing drug use in 2003 is still being asked by the media. It is told that he was one of the many athletes who subscribe two designer steroids named “the clear” and “the cream” from BALCO laboratories. He was suspected of using these steroids prior to his fight with Oscar De La Hoya way back in 2003. When asked about this issue, Mosley just said that asking questions about his use of steroids is really stupid since he has always been a clean fighter.

The accusations of Mosley were supported by the founder of BALCO named Victor Conte. He reported to the Los Angeles Times that Mosley knew exactly what he was doing. After this, Mosley sued Conte for libel and defamation since according to him, he believes that the products that BALCO gave him were legal vitamins. In May 2008, Derryl Hudson supported the accusations of Conte. Derryl Hudson was a former boxing trainer of Mosley at that time.

According to Mr. Hudson, Mosley knew that the drugs that he used were banned because they have discussed the matter during and after their visit to BALCO labs. Recently, Conte posted some parts of the testimony given by Mosley, saying that he was well aware that he was ingesting performance enhancing drugs. He told the grand jury last 2003 that while preparing for his fight against De La Hoya, he injected himself with a doping agent EPO. The transcripts of Mosley’s testimony were kept in the BALCO file. This file was under a protective order but in November 2008, the U.S. District Court Judge Susan Illston gave permission to prosecutors in giving or sharing documents with the lawyers of Barry Bonds.

Naturally, he was asked by the media about his use of steroids again and he said that he should not be condemned for steroid use because he was never tested positive for steroids. He also said that it is really ridiculous to make him an image for steroids since he never used one of those. Mayweather, his opponent in the coming May 1 fight has repeatedly badgered him about using steroids in preparation for their fight. The United States Anti-Doping agency has already administered unannounced Olympic-style urine and blood tests for both fighters.

According to Mosley, undergoing the tests for steroids has never bothered him at all. Lastly, all the things that the media says don’t matter. What matters is his fight and what will happen is the fight between him and Mayweather on Saturday.

Steroids have been used for many years now in order to increase performance. It has been used by a lot of athletes, most especially by weightlifters, baseball players and a lot more. This is because the great effect of using steroids like testosterone is an increase in the body’s weight and the building and toning of the muscles. Since joining a game under the influence of steroids is greatly unnatural, many debates have been done with regards to the limitations of steroid use in athletes. In addition, experts and authorities have also formulated and implemented penalties to those proven of steroid use.

Up to this point, those who violated the steroid policy have been punished. An example of this situation is with regards to the drug use of baseball stars. However, baseball was not treating all steroid cases equal especially if it involves some of their brightest stars including Alex Rodriguez and Andy Pettitte. But for the 26 year-old pitcher for the Cincinnati Reds, Edinson Volquez, it was another story.

He was suspended for 50 games because he was positive for use of a performance-enhancing drug, which according to him was caused by a fertility drug. During this time, Volquez is recovering from a Tommy John surgery. In addition, he is found in the 60-day disabled list (DL). Since he can only pitch by the time the middle of the season comes, his suspension will not actually result to any missed field games.

Many were surprised and outraged by this decision and even his fellow Red player Bronson Arroyo said that he is also surprised that the authorities are letting him do that. Here are some loopholes of the current steroid use punishment system. Basically, many players, like Rodriguez and Mark McGwire, who were accused of using steroids said that they just used steroids in order to recover from an injury a lot faster. If the authorities let this pass, then many more players will use this as a reason since the suspension that they will get will end before they can return to the field.

After breaking Roger Maris record, Mark McGwire and other baseball athletes were suspected of steroid use. The Congress conducted a hearing and during the talk, the main focus was about protecting professional sports organizations and they didn’t talk much about the danger in steroid use. This has always been the case since a hearing was first conducted in 1990. Now, prohormones have also been included in the list of regulated or controlled drugs.

As of this time, the use of steroids has not declined. Athletes most especially weightlifters still continue to use these drugs in order to enhance their performance. As a matter of fact, a survey of 12th graders last 2000 reported that 2.5% of them have used steroids even once in their lives. In the light that the authorities are debating on the proper limitations and punishments of athletes using steroids, the medical community is also conducting studies on the legitimate use of anabolic steroids in speeding the recovery of patients suffering from AIDS, burns, cancer, osteoporosis and a lot more.

The number of the US Track and Field athletes involved in doping is increasing and has given the sport a bad reputation. In January, Crystal Cox was banned for two years for her admission that she took steroids during an Olympic competition. This also lead to the scrapping off her gold medals and has also prompted the IOC to conduct an investigation on the entire team.

This week’s headlines is another blow to the sport when anti-doping authorities revealed that another track athlete has failed 3 doping test for steroids. Olympian LaShawn Meritt was provisionally suspended by the US Anti-Doping Authority as a result of three successive failed tests conducted last year and January. The temporary ban was imposed by the USADA while still conducting their full investigation on the athlete. The 2009 dual Olympic gold medalist will most likely receive a 2 year ban for the offense. Meritt is the current 400 metres world champion. He got the gold medal in the Beijing Olympics and dethroned the defending champion Jeremy Wariner in the World Athletics Championships in Berlin last year. The 23 year-old athlete also helped the track and field relay team to win in both events.

The case of Meritt is an interesting one. Although he admitted that the positive result could be due to the over the counter supplement that he was taking but it was not intended to improve his performance in the field. Reports showed that Meritt used a sexual enhancement supplement called Extenze. The penis enlargement supplement contains pregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) which are both banned in professional sports.

Doug Logan of the US Track and Field was disappointed on what happened to Meritt. “He has now put his entire career under a cloud and in the process made himself the object of jokes. In this day and age, a professional athlete should know better… I am disgusted by this entire episode,” he said.

LaShawn Meritt already issued a statement on this issue. He apologized for this steroid issue against him. “To know that I’ve tested positive as a result of a product that I used for personal reasons is extremely difficult to wrap my hands around.” He also said that he would accept whatever penalty that will be imposed against him. “I hope my sponsors, family, friends and the sport itself will forgive me for making such a foolish, immature and egotistical mistake. Any penalty that I may receive for my action will not overshadow the embarrassment and humiliation that I feel inside,” said Meritt.

The track and field champion also warned his fellow athletes to be careful in taking any over-the-counter supplements to avoid what had happened to him. “I am deeply sorry and hope that other athletes who take these types of over-the-counter products will be even more cautious and read the fine print, because if it can happen to me, it could happen to you.”

It would be very difficult for Meritt to defend his failed test since the supplements’ main ingredients are pregnenolone and DHEA which are contained in its label. The athlete should have known that these are banned substances by USADA and the Olympics. This could also lead to the scrapping of his gold medals if he used the drug during the Beijing Olympics and the World championship.

It is not common for some sports coaches to extend their services in educating the youth on the dangers of using performance enhancing drugs. You can see them most of the time in the field honing the skills of their players and formulating plans to win competitions. But football coaches Bob Stoops and Mike Gundy are an exemption. They recently talked to young athletes on how to compete clean and without the help of any anabolic steroids.

The State Department of Education sponsored the event which is aimed at educating the junior and high school athletes. It is part of the “Prescription Drug Abuse Awareness Week” which is also co-sponsored by the Oklahoma Bureau of Narcotics. The two coaches provided their insights through a videoconference as reported by the Edmondsun. Coach Bob Stoops is happy that he is part of this campaign. “Our younger people today are much more aware than kids the same age 10 years ago,” he said. He believes that the youth are more aware of what are these drugs and they just have to be educated on the possible consequences of using them.

“Performance enhancing drugs are a part of their world, and leaders of youth should be aware of changes they experience, and tell them about steroids and associated long-term harm,” the coach said. He also urged the leaders to teach the youth the rewards of the self satisfaction that comes from doing things the right way and of course without the help of steroids.

Football coach Mike Gundy, on the other hand, suggests that student athletes should be more vigilant. If there are cases that an individual is offering them a performance enhancing drug, they should decline it. They have to report it to the authorities for proper action. Using these performance enhancing substances can lead to their fall in whatever sports they are into. “Ultimately what happens is it catches up to you and as you start to maximize your potential, or your career, you’re gonna start to fall off,” said Gundy.

Gundy also reiterated that OSU conducts test throughout the year at the various level of competition, whether at the conference level or national level competitions. Athletes who are using anabolic steroids or any performance enhancing drugs will be surely caught by the authorities. “That message is very strong at Oklahoma State, that we’re gonna do it the right way. We want our young men, and we want our young ladies to perform at a high level, but we want them to do it the right way,” Gundy said.

The two coaches received praise from the Narcotics Bureau Director Darrell Weaver. The director said that the two football coaches showed integrity in running clean programs for their schools and should be commended for that. The partnership of Stoops-Gundy is a prescription for success in addressing teen steroid use according to Weaver.

In most state, steroid education is already being implemented as a deterrent for athletes who want to try anabolic steroids at the very young age. Most school official believes that this is also an effective way of eradicating the use of substances which helps increase performance. Steroid testing is still a costly method in deterring and catching cheating student athletes.