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.

The New Jersey senate has unanimously approved the steroid bill sponsored by Senator Richard Codey. Voting 38-0, the bill is now headed to the assembly and hopefully signed into law by Governor Christie. New Jersey is one of the few states that continuously implement an anti-steroid program. Illinois is also determined to prevent athletes in taking any performance enhancer. However, the recent development in Texas may put the steroid program in peril due to lack of funds. There is a proposal to reduce or totally remove the budget allocated for steroid testing and shift it to other steroid prevention activities.

In an interview, Senator Codey said that it is unfortunate that some of the kids look for shortcuts in their training and follow the bad examples set by a few professional athletes by turning to steroids to enhance their game. “We need to give our student-athletes the resources and support they need to just say no to steroids and performance-enhancing supplements which could lead to serious medical complications later in life,” said Codey.

The bill does not only cover for steroid testing but at the same time steroid education and other programs that will involve coaches. The focus is on educating the athletes on steroids and other performance enhancing drugs. The program will also tackle health nutrition and proper exercise for athletes to be more fit in the natural way.

Under the bill, the state Department of Education and the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association will be required to randomly test athletes taking part in championship tournaments. School officials have different opinions on the steroid program. Some are worried that it may incite fear on the athletes and the concern about their privacy but many are still supporting the program. Last season, the NJSIAA conducted 500 tests on athletes but have not found any student athlete positive for steroids. Although the test is a little bit expensive, they still believe that it is an effective deterrent for student athletes to take steroids.

The comprehensive steroid program will also give additional responsibilities to the State education officials. They will be required to include information about student steroid abuse on its Web site and include steroid awareness in academic standards. On the other hand, the NJSIAA will be given the task of conducting annual workshops for high school coaches for them to be well informed on the latest trend and information on steroids and other performance enhancing substances.

The bill recognizes the important role of coaches by helping the athlete avoid drugs. This can be done by developing and implementing plans that will educate student athletes about the dangers of using steroids. They will help students to promote positive body image and healthy eating. “Coaches can and should play an important part in teaching their athletes how to compete in their sport in a healthy and safe way. That means we have more than just an obligation to teach our kids the fundamentals of the game,” said the Senator.

In addition to NJSIAA’s task, they have to intensify public information dissemination which may include advertisements discouraging steroid and supplement use in any printed material distributed at school sports competitions. The 3rd week of September will be designated as “Steroid Awareness Week” and the Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse would have to produce an anti-steroid poster which will be distributed in all schools.

Australian sporting authorities are also coping up with the advanced use of performance enhancing drugs in sports. Testing for anabolic steroids has been in place for many years now but it was only last week where the AFL implemented the testing for human growth hormone or HGh. They also include blood testing for third generation red blood cell-producing EPO. This effort was applauded by the Australian Anti-Doping Agency. The agency is in charged of testing athletes during competitions and anytime of the year and conducts urine and blood testing of athletes. The chief executive of ASADA Richard Ings is also optimistic that the league will be able to fund the blood testing for HGH.

On the other hand, NRL is not yet on the same track with AFL. They are still deliberating on the issue because of several factors to be considered in implementing such tests. The league’s NRL spokesman John Brady said that there are plenty of people who say that HGH is not a threat for the rugby league. “Some of our advice is that, by nature of what it does, HGH is going to suit an athlete in AFL more than league because it’s more aerobic. There are others who say it can’t be taken without steroids and if you take it with steroids you’ll test positive anyway,” said Brady.

What may cause NRL to be hesitant in adopting a similar program with AFL is the cost of HGH test. He said that a test for HGH will cost $600 each. Brady said that the league didn’t want to spend a lot on low-risk testing at the expense of higher-risk areas. The ASADA has the same comment. “When AFL says they’ve agreed to testing for these substances, it means that they’ve agreed to fund it. What kind of tests the rugby league chooses to fund or not is entirely up to them. It’s a difficult drug to test for,” said ASADA chief.

Another reason why testing for HGH may not give a reliable result is it occurs naturally in the body. Tony O’Sullivan, an endocrinologist, associate professor from the University of NSW’s St George Clinical School, said that it could be used as an alibi by athletes taking HGH supplements. “The other big problem is that growth hormone is released in a pulsatile way, meaning it bounces up and down in your system. Even if you find a higher level, you don’t know if the person’s just had a pulse of it released naturally by their system or whether they’ve had an injection of it. It’s a bit like EPO, which is also a natural hormone,” he said.

Experts also added that human growth hormone clears the body within a day or two so it would be very difficult for the anti-doping authorities to really catch the cheaters.

HGH is popular as an anti-ageing drug. It can only be purchased with a prescription just like anabolic steroids. However, HGH is widely available in black market. It is a drug which is common in gyms and even in pubs said Ryan Laos, a bodybuilder who adheres to natural bodybuilding. He criticized Australian sports leagues for not responding to the problem immediately. “It would be totally stupid to think that there aren’t people in elite sports who have been using hGH for many years to gain an advantage,” he said.

Laos also said that even if HGH costs higher than anabolic steroids, there are still many athletes using it. He said he knew some people using HGH that spent about 10 times as much as they would on anabolic steroids. “In other sports there might be people earning a lot of money and they can afford it and they can get away with it,” Laos said.

There are many benefits associated with the use of HGH. Some of which are improved brain function, strengthened tissue, skin rejuvenation, increased energy, brightened mood, muscle growth, improved libido, improved lung function, immune system support and improved production of individual muscle cells. Some athletes use HGH with anabolic steroids to achieve maximum benefits. However, there were also reports of side effects for taking too much HGH. An increase risk in getting heart problems, diabetes, acromegaly and many others are possible complications for taking HGH.

What’s in a name? Having the same last name in the world of sports and entertainment can be disastrous as this mix-up proves. Searching through Google for the name “LeBron James” is sure to bring overwhelming hits on the internet. Ironically, the search results are pointing to anything other than how he plays on the basketball court.

Le Bron James is an NBA star who has been idolized by millions. He currently also has a number of endorsement. James however, is currently on the sidelines due to an injury which has made him miss the last two games for Cleveland. Unbeknownst to him, despite his being off court, gossip and scandal are still running after him due to an alleged confession that he had or was using steroids while playing for Cleveland.

To set the record straight for all the fans out there who may be disappointed by the so-called confession of this great athlete, Lebron James of the Cleveland Cavaliers did not or have never used steroids, PEDS or other pharmaceutical enhancers to get to where he is today.

So how did all this fiasco ever start and how did James Lebron get caught in the middle of it? The person who actually confessed to taking PEDS just so happened to have the same name as “LeBron” and is also an athlete playing for Cleveland - not basketball however, but baseball. The real person behind the story is actually Steve LeBron of the Cleveland Indians minor league baseball. This catcher has admitted to using the illegal substance and for some strange reason, people just took the words “Lebron”, “Cleveland” and “Steroids”. And you know how it is today with technology and the internet; nothing spreads anything faster than gossip and allegations through the World Wide Web.

This may be funny to some people, but this mix-up can be really damaging especially for an innocent athlete who is currently on the bench. And even if the name “LeBron” is quite popular in Cleveland, it is amazing how people can just make the assumption when one LeBron is a minor league baseball player while the other is a major league basketball star?

Lebron James has been on the basketball spotlight since he was in high school. He was hailed as “Mr. Basketball” three times which earned him the nickname “King James”. This sped up his career in the game being only 18 when he was drafted in the NBA as number one pick for the Cavaliers. From then on he has set many youngest player records in the Major League Basketball. On the other hand, Steve Lebron is a catcher for the Cleveland Indians who is still trying to make a name. Having just signed on last January, the catcher was subjected to a random drug test where he was positive for horse steroids. The player could be taking a common brand of anabolic steroids which is Winstrol. This will definitely be a big mark on his baseball career. After testing positive for the illegal use of steroids, he has been suspended for 50 ball games. Steve LeBron will most likely lose his contract especially with all the media and hype that this scandal has been getting.

Some professional athletes with steroid controversies were forced to take a leave from their field of sports. The latest is the case of Tiger Woods. Although the main issue is his extra marital affairs but he was also dragged into steroids use. Others were forced to retire to avoid sanctions from their league. Aside from the possible sanctions, the reputations of these professional athletes were questioned and ruined. But many are still hopeful that they still have a chance to return to the sports that they love.

The comeback of Alex Rodriguez after implicated for steroid use is an example. Last year, he made a confession that he took Boli as part of his training regimen. The confession was due to the report of Sports Illustrated that Rodriguez was among those MLB players who were tested positive for steroids in 2004. His return to the field was first criticized but his impressive performance with the NY Yankees redeemed his reputation and he was finally accepted by baseball fans.

However, it would not be too easy for these pro athletes with steroid stories in their profiles to just ignore what happened previously in their career. This month, it was reported that Alex Rodriguez was interviewed by federal authorities for his connection with a Canadian doctor who is charged for illegal importation and distribution of HGH and steroids. Dr Anthony Galea, who has claimed to treat several professional athletes, denied that he is prescribing illegal substances to his patients. His clients came from the different field of sports like golf, baseball, football, track and field and many others.

Mets shortstop Jose Reyes was also questioned by the authorities about his previous dealings with the Canadian doctor. “They just asked me basically how I met the guy and stuff like that and what he put in my body. I explained to them what he (was) doing. … I don’t worry about anything. I didn’t do anything wrong,” said Reyes when asked by the media. He went to Dr Galea because of an injury last season. Dr Anthony Galea became famous for his blood spinning technique which he claims helps athletes recover faster from injuries.

Marion Jones, the Olympian who was stripped off her medals because of steroids was also planning to return to sports. She spent 8 months in jail after confessing her use of steroids. Her return is not in the tract and field anymore but in WNBA. Jones previously played for North Carolina’s 1994 championship team and was also a third round selection by the Phoenix Mercury in the 203 WNBA Draft.

Jones will be signing a contract with WNBA’s Tulsa Shock. “We’re thrilled to have her. In the workouts last week I saw how hard she works. She has things you can’t teach, like speed and great hand and eye coordination. She looks chiseled. Her age (34) might be saying one thing but everything about her is saying she’s young,” said head coach Nolan Richardson when interviewed by Tulsa World.

Wrestler Hulk Hogan will be fighting again in the ring for the TNA this month. He retired from professional wrestling years ago but he still wants to prove that he can wrestle. In an interview, Hogan said that his life is playing inside the ring and he is still longing for that. When asked about Mark McGwire’s confession, the wrestler said that he should have told the whole truth about his steroid use. Hogan was also invited in congressional hearings to testify about steroids use in the sports. He also admitted that he used steroids while still playing for the world wrestling federation. “I don’t know his situation too well. But the only advice I have is don’t play a game with the fans. You’ve got to come clean. Don’t cling to half truths, either. I tried that during an interview on Arsenio Hall. I said I wasn’t on steroids, which was half true. I wasn’t when he asked me. But had I been? Yes. My advice is to lay it all out there,” said Hulk.

It is now common for every athlete to rely on supplements during trainings and competitions. Most believe that taking supplements will improve their performance and as well as their overall health condition. But a recent study showed that supplements are not properly used by some athletes. This is due to unsupervised training regimen and taking supplements without advice from a health professional.

Supplement intake may just be a waste of money and could even harm the body if not monitored properly. According to Martin Fréchette, a researcher and graduate of the Université de Montréal Department of Nutrition, supplements, particularly protein supplements are often poorly used or unnecessary by both high-level athletes and amateurs. The findings also showed that protein supplements will not improve performance and recovery time from fatigue or injury.

Fréchette conducted the study as part of his thesis at the university. The 42 respondents were given questionnaires with questions about their supplements use. They were asked to document their supplement intake and food intake for 3 days. Athletes who participated in the study came from various field of sports like biathlon, cycling, long-distance running, judo, swimming, volleyball, and skating.

Although the study only used a small sample, the findings were also significant. Food supplements are part of the daily consumption of 9 out of 10 athletes and they consume on the average more than 3 different products. These are energy drinks, multi-vitamins, minerals and powdered protein supplements. The researcher found out that most of the athletes have a poor knowledge on these food supplements.

For protein supplements, a very low percentage of product knowledge is evident. “Only one out of four consumers could associate a valid reason, backed by scientific literature for taking the product,” said Fréchette. “The role of proteins is particularly misunderstood,” he added. Even if most athletes rely on protein supplements, stopping it may not affect their performance. “More than 66 percent of those who believed to have bad eating habits took supplements. For those who claimed to have ‘good’ or ‘very good’ eating habits that number climbs to 90 percent,” he said.

The study also noted that more than 80% of athletes taking supplements already had sufficient protein from their diet. “The use of multivitamins and minerals can make up for an insufficient intake of calcium, folate yet not for lack of potassium,” said Fréchette. Based on the study, most of the athletes took more than the required daily intake of some vitamins and minerals which could result to some side effects. According to Fréchette this makes the athletes more susceptible to health problems such as nausea, vision trouble, fatigue and liver anomalies.

The athletes were also interested on the efficiency, legality and safety of these supplements. This could be due to the issue that a lot of sports supplements were tainted with prohibited substances such as steroids. It was reported in a study that 12 to 20 percent of dietary supplements contain a substance not in the list of ingredients or contain banned substances. “Their purity and preparation aren’t as controlled as prescription medication. Sports supplements often contain other ingredients than those listed on the label. Some athletes consume prohibited drugs without knowing.”