Canadian sports authorities vowed they will not allow another Waterloo scandal. Last week, they conducted unannounced drug test on the entire Wilfrid Laurier football team and more universities should expect that drug testers will be coming to their campuses soon. However, steroid testing is not enough to deter student athletes from taking performance enhancing drugs. Canadian universities in cooperation with the CIS and CCES are also trying to help curtail steroid use by these young athletes.

The common problem for both CCES and CIS is on how to increase the number of student athletes to be tested in a particular school year since their budget is limited. Steroid education is a good alternative. Conducting trainings and symposium is a low cost strategy which is also considered as an effective deterrent. But sending the message to these students should only be done by experts or people who are considered an authority in the subject matter.

Canadian universities are right in choosing one of the leading anti-steroid groups in the US. The Taylor Hooton Foundation has been educating young American teens on the dangers of abusing anabolic steroids. The foundation’s head, Don Hooton, established it in memory of his son who committed suicide after suffering from depression. Doctors believe that Taylor’s use of steroids caused his emotional problem.

It is time to intensify the campaign against steroids in colleges and universities in the country. According to Wilfrid Laurier athletic director Peter Baxter, it is estimated that 60% of young Canadian adults have experimented with recreational and performance enhancing drugs. Though, there is no exact number on the actual number of student athletes taking steroids, it is still a major concern by the sports authorities. The athletic director urged students to make good decisions. Anabolic steroids are tempting but it could also end their career.

The first stop of the Taylor Hooton Foundation is at the Wilfred Laurier University. According to The Record, Don Hooton Jr. talked to at least 500 student athletes of the university. The message was focused on the dangers of taking steroids and how his brother, Taylor, became a victim of the drug.

Hooton Jr. discussed the possible side effects of abusing the drug like organ damage, mood swings and premature death. PED’s would also put their promising athletic careers into waste. He warned the students about the quality of the steroids being sold in the North American black market. Most of these came from China which are believed contaminated with hazardous chemicals. These are usually in powder form and contain toxic heavy metals like zinc, tin, lead and mercury. Hooton Jr. told the students that there are some local dealers and distributors that mix these anabolic steroids with baby oil, cooking oil, and even motor oil.

Gary Jeffries, football coach of the Golden Hawks said that the presentation of the Taylor Hooton Foundation is a good start. “I know it made a difference. Without this, the kids are going to make bad choices. In this age group, 18 to 24, kids are hot-wired to make bad decisions. We were all there,” he said.

The recent activity at Wilfrid may not be the last according to Baxter. They are now planning to get the foundation’s help in training student leaders from Wilfred Laurier and university of Waterloo. After the training, they will be educating their peers, students from local high schools and community sports club.

Hooton’s second stop: the University of Western Ontario.

Everybody would agree that anabolic steroids are not for everyone. In fact, the primary use of this substance is for medical treatment of some health conditions. Through the years, steroids became popular among bodybuilders and professional athletes because of its performance enhancing effects. Bodybuilders use steroids to bulk up or build more lean muscles quickly. It can also improve strength and stamina which then help bodybuilders endure more complicated routines. Professional athletes have similar reasons why they use anabolic steroids even if these drugs are prohibited by major sports organization around the world.

Right now, steroid users are not only limited to those people who engage in sports but studies showed that users have been spreading in all demographics. And guess what, the number of younger users is increasing and individuals who are just trying to build a better physique shares a big chunk in the statistics. Health experts are concerned on this scenario because these users are more prone to abuse. They are also the usual victims of distributors of black market steroids.

Millions of Teenagers could be on Steroids

According to anti-steroid crusader Dick Butkus, the number of teenagers who are involved in steroids is estimated at half million. Most of them received or purchased steroids from the internet, trainers and coaches. The lack of proper education of these teens will put them at danger especially if they are under misguided trainers and coaches. The school has a very significant role in preventing these teens from taking steroids or by experimenting with these drugs since 85% of these students still needs information about steroids.

Butkus is a former linebacker for the Chicago Bears and a Hall of Famer. He initiated the “I Play Clean” Campaign to help young athletes stay away from anabolic steroids. He is optimistic that through his program, the sports will be cleaned of performance enhancing drugs. “I would like to see every athlete and former athlete take the Play Clean pledge. Every coach talk to their players about Playing Clean. Every trainer advocate Playing Clean. Every health or PE teacher include lessons about steroids,” he said. But steroid education should not end in the junior level. If universities and professional leagues and athletes will help, the problem of steroid use will be eradicated.

Young Users Disregard the Risks

Taking anabolic steroids usually lead to complications if not taken with proper guidance from health experts. Prescription of this drug to teenagers should only be done when there is a need for it. If it is used just to build muscles or to improve image, they will likely experience side effects.

Butkus said that these youngsters don’t know about “roid rage”, stunted growth, man boobs, small testicles, joint injuries and liver problems. Women can experience deeper voice and masculinity. He warned that emotional problems can last up to 18 months after their last dose of steroids.

A bodybuilder interviewed by Mathew Kelly of NewCastle Herald shared how the effects of steroids affected his body. Darren Sweeney who is working as a security guard wanted to have leaner muscles so he decided to use steroids for 4 months. However, the improvement in his body was also accompanied by constant muscle pain in the forearms and he became more aggressive. He also believes that steroid use is common in teenagers. “I’ve seen kids as young as 15 [who are using steroids]. Basically they are just wanting to look good in front of their mates and girls,” Sweeney said.

Anabolic steroids can be easily bought according to the bodybuilder who opted to use herbal supplements. There is no problem searching for steroid products if you know the right people. “For something like Sustanon 250, I’ve heard you can pay between $180 to $200 for a 10 millilitre ampoule. The real worry is these kids don’t know what they are doing to themselves,” he added.

The lawyers of home run legend Barry Bonds told the court late Friday that some of the evidences presented by the prosecution should be removed from the case. This is an effort to weaken the case against their client who was charged with perjury for allegedly lying to a federal grand jury in 2003 about his steroid use. In the previous month, Bonds’ lawyers already questioned the inclusion of some witnesses and evidences by the prosecution because it was already barred in the previous ruling of a federal judge.

Anderson’s Name Must be Removed from the Case

In the recent court filings, they ask the court to remove any mention of Greg Anderson in the case. This will include the continued refusal of Bonds’ former personal trainer to testify. The alleged taped conversation of Anderson with Steve Hoskins was also targeted by the lawyers. In that conversation, Anderson admitted to Hoskins that he injected Bonds with anabolic steroids. Judge Susan Illston already barred part of the taped conversation but the defense wants it to be removed totally from the list of evidences.

The prosecution’s list of witnesses included former baseball players and one NFL player. However, their testimonies will not directly implicate Bonds on steroid use but are more focused on their relationship with Greg Anderson. If the judge will rule in favor of the defense lawyers, the testimonies of these players do not have any significance at all.

Testimony of Former Business Partner Questionable

Bonds also want more documents that will explain why his former business partner was not charged by the government. Steve Hoskins is also a key witness of the prosecution. There were allegations that the government did not charged Hoskins in exchange for his testimony against Bonds. “Hoskins is a key witness because this testimony, if believed, would likely be the most damaging evidence that could be admitted against Bonds, therefore any information that intends to impeach Hoskins is not only material, it is critical to the defense,” according to the defense lawyers.

Legal experts said that the prosecution will be facing tough legal battle because of the previous rulings that were not on their side. “The government’s case has already been severely damaged by the court’s prior decision to exclude evidence. If the judge rules to exclude even more evidence, it could be another major blow, so the upcoming decision is crucial,” former federal prosecutor Mathew Rosengart told NY Times.

Prosecution Dropping the Case?

The court set a hearing next week for both parties to present their arguments on these motions. The lawyer of Greg Anderson said in an interview that next week’s hearing is a make or break moment for the prosecution. “It’s at that point where I think they won’t be able to get any of the documentary evidence in that mentions Greg Anderson, and I don’t think they could continue to try the case,” he said. He believes that the case is weak and the government may just give up the case. “It looks to me that the case is fatally flawed from the prosecution standpoint and, at some point, I think they will pick up their gloves and bats and go home,” he added.

Since his indictment in 2008, Bonds fought his case and was able to get some favorable rulings like the decision of the Appeals Court affirming the decision of Judge Illston. Two of the significant evidences that will prove Bonds’ lied to the grand jury were the two positive steroids tests and documents showing his steroid regimen. But these are of no use for the prosecutors because these were barred by the judge due to the refusal of Anderson to testify.

A law professor from the Golden Gate University School of Law had a different opinion on this case. Peter Keane believes that the prosecution will not drop the case regardless of the outcome. “There is motivation to move forward when you have charges against someone like Bonds, who is such a big fish,” Keane told the NY Times. “If prosecution just says we move to dismiss, a lot of people would get the idea that lying to a grand jury is something you can get away with.”

TNA wrestler Jeff Hardy entered a guilty plea deal to the charges filed against him in September 2009. A raid on his home resulted in the seizure of 262 Vicodin painkillers, 180 Soma prescription pills, and 555 milliliters of anabolic steroids. Police also found residues of a prohibited substance allegedly cocaine powder and drug paraphernalia.

In an interview with TMZ, Hardy opted to agree to a plea agreement to get a lighter sentence. “I’ll make the best of it, bro.” He is set to appear in court on January 20 and hopes that his case will be over. “It’s been a long while … but it should get to an end soon,” said Hardy. Moore County District Attorney Maureen Krueger also confirmed the deal but declined to comment on the details of the agreement if Hardy would avoid the jail term.

The hearing of the wrestler’s case has been postponed many times. The original charges filed against Hardy were two counts of possession with intent to sell or deliver a controlled substance, possession of cocaine and drug paraphernalia and trafficking in opium.

Jeff Hardy holds the world championship belt in TNA but recently lost. He will still play in TNA’s Impact. The wrestling promotion outfit declined to comment on Hardy’s case.

Meanwhile, a guy who created a huge buzz in the wrestling community in the early 1990’s was interviewed by Mike Mooneyham of the PostandCourier. He detailed his life after that scandal and the good things that happened to him after he left the WWE. Tom Cole, who was a young ring attendant for the World Wrestling Federation at that time made claims that he was sexually abused by two WWE employees when he was 13 years old.

The scandal which led to investigations and lawsuit was already settled and Cole was reinstated on his job. However, after 18 months working for the WWE, he decided to leave the company. But his not so good experience with the wrestling company did not hinder him to become successful in life. In fact, he supported Linda McMahon in her Senate candidacy last year.

With so many topics discussed with Mooneyham, Cole also shared his opinion on the steroid problem in the World Wrestling Entertainment or WWE. He told Mooneyham that the steroid-related deaths of wrestlers should not only be blamed on the company. He believes that the wrestlers are also accountable for the decisions that they make.

“Obviously it’s very sad anytime anyone dies, but people have to take accountability for themselves,” said Cole. “I was around the business as a young kid until my early ‘20s. I saw a lot of stuff, but you can’t blame WWE for everything. Could they have handled things better? Of course they could have,” he added.

“It’s all about accountability.” He said that Chris Benoit was already using steroids even before he came to the WWF. Benoit was weighing more than 60 lbs than normal guys. Blaming wrestling alone for the injuries or deaths of these wrestlers is not fair. “They talk a lot about the concussion syndrome, but some of these guys played football and had concussions prior to wrestling. Did wrestling speed it along somehow? I’m sure in a sense that it did, but who the hell knew? Twenty years from now things will be run differently in all sports. You learn as you go.”

Cole still believes that there are a lot of wrestlers who are doing the right thing and advice them to be ready when their career ends in wrestling. “You really have to take stock in yourself. You can’t just sit back and blame the company all the time. Some of these guys thought the good days would never end,” added Cole.

The Canadian Interuniversity Sports (CIS) and the Canadian Center for Ethics in Sport (CCES) wants to prove that they are really determined in eradicating performance enhancing drugs in university football. They know that they have a lot of things to do so starting with an unannounced mandatory drug testing at Wilfrid Laurier University is a good start. Last Wednesday, football players from Wilfrid Laurier were called for an emergency meeting but they later found out that drug testers were waiting for them in the university’s training facility.

Officials from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport collected 67 urine samples and 16 blood samples from the 90 Golden Hawks players present in the meeting. According to athletic director Peter Baxter, no one from the players present refused or admitted to taking steroids or other performance enhancing substances. He is confident that the result of the test will not put the university into bad limelight just like what happened to University of Waterloo. “I always believe our kids make good decisions. But I also understand we need a testing program to be a deterrent and to verify the kids are making the right decisions,” Baxter told the media.

The center already conducted a team wide drug testing last year on University of Waterloo football players because of the involvement of some of its player to distribution of anabolic steroids and human growth hormone. The results were alarming because several players tested positive for steroids and others admitted to taking steroids even before the mandatory test was conducted. Two of their players are still facing criminal charges. Another player tested positive for HGH, the first case in North America.

The CCES did not comment why the Wilfred Laurier football team was the first target of their mandatory testing. However, there’s one thing that is definite, the CCES will be conducting more mandatory tests in the succeeding months. They already informed other university athletic directors that the center will be conducting drug tests on their players anytime. According to CCES Director of Public Affairs Rosemary Pitfield, the testing at Wilfred Laurier is part of their aggressive anti-doping strategy. “Players can expect us anywhere, anytime,” she said.

Baxter is optimistic that none of his players will fail in the drug tests. “We’ll wait for the results but I can say our guys took it in stride. They co-operated and there was nothing abnormal.” He is also hoping that the steroid tests will dispel all chat-room rumors about their football players. “Wilfrid Laurier is committed to clean sport through testing and education,” Baxter added.

After the University of Waterloo scandal, the CIS and CCES will be working harder to combat drug use in college sports. This year, they plan to conduct more mandatory test which is estimated to reach at least 267 drug tests for football players. This is a better number compared to last year’s 89 football players tested for steroids.

Information campaign is also intensified in the junior level to university and college. Schools and universities in Ontario are also helping by educating their student athletes about the dangers of using performance enhancing drugs such as anabolic steroids. Speakers from anti-steroid organizations such as the Taylor Hooton Foundation are also invited by these schools.

The mandatory drug testing is supported by athletic directors in Ontario. However, the CCES should be consistent in implementing its program and must conduct more steroid testing across the country to be more effective.

Steroid is indeed a problem in the law enforcement as we continue to hear and see in the news officers involved either in using or selling these drugs. The expose of a New Jersey newspaper is only a part of the real scenario in the police service. Inside sources estimated that the number of uniformed men using steroids can be as high as the number of users in bodybuilding and other sports.

The need to be bigger and stronger is the primary reason why most officers rely on anabolic steroids. However, there are also some cases where they are involved in the illegal distribution of these substances. And this aspect should also be given attention by the authorities. How can they protect people if they are the ones involved in criminal activities?

In Stockton California, a police officer was arrested for allegedly possessing steroids intended for sale. Police officer Darrin Fagundes, 26, and another suspect Anthony Kubena, 38, were both taken into custody by police investigators when they were spotted in a parking lot of a Trace shopping center. It was not clear if they were caught dealing steroids when arrested.

Fagundes was assigned in the patrol division of the Stockton Police department since June 2007. According to Stockton Police Department spokesman Officer Pete Smith, Fagundes was on a paid administrative leave while the investigation is still on-going. “Society holds the people who protect them to a higher standard. Absolutely it’s disappointing when one of our own falls subject to an investigation and these kinds of allegations are brought against them,” Smith told the media. The suspects were able to post bail and will be arraigned next week in a Stockton court.

In West Palm Beach Florida, a Boca Raton police officer pleaded guilty to 15 charges of illegal distribution of steroids and human growth hormones. Anthony Forgione, 46, was fired in 2003 when he was implicated in an investigation dubbed as “Operation which Doctor.” He was also charge for using steroids. His plea agreement will help reduce his possible sentence.

In Akron Ohio, a police sergeant also pleaded guilty to charges of possessing controlled substances and drug paraphernalia. He was one of the three officers who were arrested in June last year for steroid-related charges. Shawn M. Boal, 38 pleaded guilty to felony charges of drugs possession and one count of misdemeanor. Summit County Common Pleas Judge Judy Hunter put him on probation for 18 months and required him to undergo drug treatment. The officer already resigned from his job but two of his pal can return to normal duty in the coming weeks.

Officers Anthony Sutton, 50 and Paul Achberger, 40, were guilty of misdemeanor charges. Both were charged with one count of abusing anabolic steroids and of possessing hypodermic needles. They are already undergoing drug treatment and are required to be randomly tested for steroids for a year. Sutton and Archberger were placed on unpaid leave since the internal investigation of the department regarding anabolic steroid use started last year.

The Akron Police Department is also one of the many police departments in the country that do not have regular steroid testing on its police officers. Just like in New Jersey, the lax policy on steroids also contributes to the increasing number of officers involved in the use or sale of steroids.