National athletes involved in the use of anabolic steroids are not new in Bulgaria. They have been into controversies since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. After 11 of its weightlifting athletes tested positive for a banned substance, the Balkan country decided to pull out its entire team from the Olympics. The Bulgarian Weightlifting Federation decided to withdraw from the competition three women and eight men who were tested positive for steroids. They were Ivailo Filev, Demir Demirev, Mehmed Fikretov, Ivan Stoitsov, Georgi Markov, Ivan Markov, Alan Tsagaev, Velichko Cholakov, Milka Maneva, Donka Mincheva and Gergana Kirilova. Although there was no admission on the part of the weightlifters, they did not ask for confirmatory tests. They alleged that it could be due to the supplement that they were taking that time.

The athletes who are into the weightlifting sports are not learning this lesson. If you cheat, you will be putting your career at risk. Even before the Beijing Olympics, 3 Bulgarian weightlifters were banned prior to the Athens Olympics in 2004. Just recently, another weightlifter from Bulgaria tested positive for a banned substance. Weightlifter Boyan Polejanov returned a positive test for anabolic steroid methandienone during an out-of-competition test.

The 25-year-old weightlifter finished seventh in the +105 kg category at the European Championships in Minsk last April. He denied that he is doping. In an interview with Bulgarian media, Polejanov would not be seeking for a confirmatory test for his B sample. He will also retire from the sport after the incident. “The whole situation is very confusing as no one can still explain where it came from. Anyway, I’ll not continue with weightlifting, that’s for sure,” said Polejanov.

What makes methandienone a banned substance? It is an anabolic steroid taken orally which helps in the development of muscles. This is a popular steroid among bodybuilders and weightlifters because it provides them with a dramatic increase in protein synthesis, glycogenolysis, and muscle strength over a short period of time. Taking methandienone will surely give competitive advantage to an athlete.

Most sports organizations prohibit its use. However, there are still some countries where it can be purchased without a prescription. And it is not surprising that Bulgaria is one of those countries where athletes have an easy access to this kind of anabolic steroid. This could be one of the reasons why many of their athletes are tempted to use steroids.

Methandienone or Methandrostenolone is commonly sold under different names. Bodybuilders buy this steroid as Averbol, Dianabol, Danabol, or DBOL. It is also stacked with other steroids particularly testosterone propionate, enanthate, cypionate or combined with trenbolone acetate to achieve maximum benefits.

Reuters also reported that Bulgaria’s sports ministry sanctioned its domestic weightlifting federation in December by revoking its license.

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