What would the world be without testosterone? A better question would be: What would the world be without people? Testosterone, the male version of the female estrogen, as the primary sex hormones, has never been that important in the human history as now besides playing a role in human reproduction.

Athletes both professional and amateur are concerned with their testosterone levels as they are with their athletic abilities. Their reasons have as much to do with their performance on the sporting stage as how well they do in the world in general.

Testosterone occurs naturally in the human body both male and female as a steroid hormone. At an average, adult human males produce 10 times more of it than adult human females, but the latter have been found to be much more sensitive to it.

Testosterone Deficiency

It is extremely significant in developing male reproductive tissues like the prostate and the testis. It also advances sexual characteristics like the development of muscle tissue, bones, and the body hair. Individuals who have a deficiency of this hormone could be less healthy than normal and may even suffer from the weakening of the bones or osteoporosis. Testosterone replacement therapy is the common treatment for this condition.

However, the use of synthetic testosterone became prevalent not just because of the need for medical treatment but also to improve performance in sports. The steroid testosterone has become very controversial. When it was first discovered that steroids drastically stimulate muscular development, athletes who seek to bulk up quickly than normal and gain an unfair advantage in sports competitions have abused them.

But there is a good side to steroids. When steroids were first synthesized in the 1930s, their therapeutic use has been broad: Stimulating the growth of bone in stunted people, increasing appetite, and as a cure for cancer and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients. The legit medical uses of testosterone are plenty but the legal benefits have been largely overshadowed by the seamy side of steroidal use.

Benefits of Testosterone Use

The other benefits of testosterone therapy are enumerated below:
• Keeps serum testosterone levels at a normal level in males who produce inadequate endogenous testosterone or those who suffer from a condition called hypogonadism
• Reduces infertility
• Corrects low levels of libido that cause erectile dysfunction
• Stimulates appetite
• Combat the signs of aging
• Stimulates enlargement by way of height
• Reverses the damaging effects of anemia
• Accelerates the production of bone marrow
• Neutralizes or reverses the effects of osteoporosis by stimulating bone density

The benefits of testosterone cannot be underestimated but neither should the negative side of its use be ignored. Testosterone therapy or the medical uses of testosterone are proof enough that proper procedure, legal limits, and medical supervision can help as many people as those who suffer from improper utilization. There will probably be more benefits of testosterone usage to be discovered with the passage of time and wider public awareness. Right now, testosterone can be administered by injections, taken as a pill or through the use of cream and gels.

Athletes who have been on top in their sport cannot seem to tolerate losing or being out of the number one position. They train hard and enjoy living on the edge while pushing themselves to the limit. But the intense competition in sports drives athletes to resort in doing more than just rigorous training.

The easy shortcut through the use of steroids had been very appealing to many ball players. It is a common fact that there were already several adorned MLB players who were accused or admitted to the use of steroids and performance enhancing drugs.

Benefits of Steroids Enticing

Chipper Jones of Atlanta Braves in his recent interview also admitted considering steroids at some point in his career but luckily fought the temptation and kept his entire career clean. This was stated in an article published by Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Chipper one of the Braves’ best players acknowledges that in his 18-year career with the Atlanta Braves, the use of steroids had enticed him. “You see peers doing it. You see contemporaries on other teams doing it and putting up numbers. But at that point in my career, while I didn’t have kids yet, and I thought, I don’t want to jeopardize their lives (because of people’s reactions) one day,” Jones said.

Performance enhancing drugs continue to draw in approximately less than one percent of players according to Jones. But the numbers of players receiving suspension for drug violation is continuously growing.

Suspensions Due To PED Use

As a matter of fact, four other MLB players are facing suspension due to the use of performance enhancing drugs. Brave’s former minor league pitcher Steven Shell is one of them. Being a current minor league free agent, Shells’ 50-game suspension will begin once he signs with an organization. He was tested positive for the metabolites Stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid derived from testosterone. This drug is commonly used to develop lean muscles.

A 50-game suspension was also handed out to Jason Pridie, a former Prescott High star and a minor leaguer for Oakland Athletics. Details on the case had not been made public but a report coming from a reliable source of the San Francisco Chronicle revealed that the 28-year old player’s violation of the baseball drug policy does not involve steroids or human growth hormone use but rather a recreational drug. This is his second positive test for recreational drugs.

If Pridies’ suspension will transpire, it will not likely begin until the regular season starts. This would mean that he could continue to work out with the A’s and appear in Cactus League games this month in Phoenix. Being a current non-roster player who has gone 1 for 7 with a double in four exhibition contests, the Chronicle stated that Pridie’s future with the A’s seems to still be uncertain. Oakland also has several other talented outfielders and being drag over this issue of using PEDs puts his career in an unsteady state.

Two MLB players are further added to the roster of suspended players for a second violation of drug abuse according to a report made by the Associated Press. Pitcher Mitchell Taylor, a current member of Toronto Blue Jays and Matthew Rusch, a free agent pitcher. Both players received 50-game suspensions for using performance enhancing drugs.

More Stringent Testing

The Major League Baseball is still struggling in weeding out the use of anabolic steroids and other drugs in the league. Monitoring and drug testing program should be enhanced to send a message to every MLB players that their serious in fighting the prevalent use of performance enhancing drugs. It’s good that they already implemented HGH testing.

Sydney Olympics gold medalist Galabin Boevski insisted that he is innocent in the drug trafficking case filed against him in Brazil. The Bulgarian weightlifter was apprehended last year at the Sao Paulo’s Guarulhos international airport for bringing in his luggage 9 kilos of cocaine. In the hearing last week, Boevski and his defense team maintained that he did not tried to smuggle a prohibited drug.

The former Olympian was arrested just before he boarded a flight bound for Spain. Boevski went to Brazil to visit her daughter who was competing in a tennis tournament at that time. He claimed that he didn’t know that the luggage contained the banned substance. He told the court that he purchased the suitcase a day before his flight and the drug was probably inserted into the luggage. However, the court already barred some of the evidences presented by the defense saying those were irrelevant.

Bulgarian News Agencies reported that the case of Boevski could be resolved within 40 days. If convicted of the offense, Boevski will be receiving a jail term of at least 15 years.

Boevski’s Involvement in Drugs not New

The Olympian is not new to controversies since he was already involved in controlled substance use. Before his win in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Boevski was banned for two years for his use of anabolic steroids. He was suspended from 1996 to 1998. Although the Bulgaria’s weightlifting team was marred by three positive tests for anabolic steroids, Boevski was able to prove that he was clean of any performance enhancing drugs. He won the 152-pound category in Sydney.

However, Boevski was again involved in a doping controversy in 2004 which led to his 8 year ban from the sport. Despite his appeal, the International Weightlifting Federation still handed him the suspension because it was his second offense. Authorities found out that the weightlifting champion submitted a tampered urine sample at the 2003 world championships.

Bulgaria’s Athlete of the Year

Aside from the gold medal in Sydney Olympics, Boevski has an impressive weightlifting record. In fact he was named as Bulgaria’s athlete of the year in 1999, 2000 and 2001. His other achievements include gold at the world championships in 1999 and 2001. He also won the European championships in 1999, 2002 and 2003.

Bulgarians Used as Drug Carriers

It is not clear whether Boevski is connected with an organized group. The Bulgarian authorities admitted that many Bulgarian nationals are being used as drug courier on trans-atlantic routes. An anti-organized crime official said that there were already 400 Bulgarians who were caught and imprisoned in Latin America for similar crimes. Most of these smuggled drugs are distributed in the country. With regards to Boevski’s case, the successful shipment of the 9 kg of cocaine could have earned him 200,000 euro.

Galabin Boevski will be facing a hard time clearing his name. Whether he is a victim of an organized drug syndicate or has a carnal knowledge of the illegal drugs in his luggage, he will surely receive sanction from Brazilian authorities. This time the Bulgarian weightlifter might not be able to return to his weightlifting career anymore.

Although it is not a good week for former baseball slugger Jose Canseco, the disgraced MLB player is glad to know that NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal accepted his dare for a celebrity MMA match in Vegas. Canseco has been very active in Twitter sharing his recent activities including his bid to play in the Mexican League. Although that dream ended shortly after the league barred him from playing for the Quintana Roo Tigers for allegedly refusing to take a regular steroid test.

MMA Challenge is Accepted

In the Reuters interview, Shaquille said that he is willing to fight Canseco. “I challenged him a long time ago. If he wants it done, he knows where to find me,” O’Neal told the news agency. “He can be high off whatever, and I’ll be high off Frosted Flakes,” the 4-time NBA champion added. The statement may refer to Canseco’s use of anabolic steroids. O’Neal is expected to receive his doctorate degree from Barry University’s School of Education in Miami in a couple of months.

Canseco tried boxing and mixed martial arts but it seems these are not the right kind of sports for him. All of his debut matches ended in a loss. In fact his first MMA fight ended in 77 seconds with Hong Man Choi. Instead, he became active in celebrity sport matches. A few weeks ago he tweeted that he’d like to have a Las Vegas MMA Tourney featuring some of the retired sports icon. He even titled it the “Beef Bash 1” which will feature him against retired NBA player Shaquille O’Neal. Another headliner will be between former boxing champion Mike Tyson and former National Football League player Herschel Walker.

If a promoter will bite into this, it will surely become a hit. Of course, not as a fight of the century but as an exciting and maybe a funny match to watch out for. On Wednesday, Canseco used his twitter account to ask Donald Trump if the business tycoon is willing to promote this fight. “Do u want to hold my @SHAQ MMA at your place? Need your advice you are The Man of Business,” Canseco wrote. As for Shaq, he tweeted, “Where should i dance with @SHAQ. Vegas, New York, LA, Miami?”

Shaq’s Not New in MMA

It is not surprising that Shaq accepted the dare of Canseco. The NBA legend has been training in mixed martial arts for years. He does this during the off season to maintain his shape. But the length of time he’s been with MMA pros, Shaq is definitely not an easy foe in the octagon. Others even predicted, if this match happens, that O’Neal will annihilate Canseco inside the ring with all the advantages from the height, reach, weight and skills.

According to an MMA site, Shaq is knowledgeable in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and Boxing and with an almost eight years of MMA training. Just wondering if Canseco can take Shaq’s power with or without steroids.

Canseco Not Done with Steroid Issue

Canseco vowed to appeal his suspension from the Mexican League and he believes there are some people who are trying to bring him down. And these people could be from the MLB. In an interview, Canseco revealed that some guys from the major league have something to do with his suspension in the Mexican League. “Some friends have called me and they told me, ‘Be careful. Major League Baseball is putting a lot of pressure on people.’ They’re trying to find any way to get me out of the game again even if they have to lie,” he said.

As regards his steroid use, Canseco said that it is for a legitimate medical purpose. “I don’t want to use steroids. They put me on testosterone therapy because medically I need it. I can’t live without it,” the former slugger told ESPN.

Canseco already made several apologies to the league and his former friends and teammates. Just recently he again tweeted that he’s truly sorry for hurting his teammates and friends when he wrote the steroid book “Juiced.”

When the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA) elevated the issue of Olympic lifetime ban to the Court of Arbitration for Sports, the British Olympic Association vowed to defend their rules. The BOA has in its policy a lifetime ban on athletes previously convicted of doping. British athletes will never be chosen to represent the country even of they already served their suspension. Two elite British athletes who are affected by this policy are sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar. Both athletes were sanctioned for taking performance enhancing drugs.

Chambers was caught using the designer steroid THG while Millar was suspended for taking the blood boosting drug EPO. This happened years ago so the WADA argued that preventing them to represent UK in the upcoming Olympics will constitute another sanction which is already disproportionate.

Lifetime Ban Fair said British Olympic Association

After the hearing on Monday, Lord Moynihan of the British Olympic Association is still optimistic that the court will give a favorable ruling. “I’ll be disappointed if we didn’t win because we fought hard to represent the interests of the athletes,” Moynihan said. “The findings may well dwell on fine points of law rather than the very strong moral arguments that are on the side of the athletes,” he added. He also expects that the Sports Court will rule as soon as possible for the benefits of the athletes concerned. Although he admitted that both parties has strong arguments during the hearing.

The BOA is the only Olympic association that implements the policy. In fact, this rule has been in place for the last two decades and has barred a number of Olympic athletes who were involved in the use of PED’s. Lord Moynihan explained that the lifetime ban on doping athletes is fair. “We have the right to select athletes who we feel will be right for Team GB.” They insist that the policy must be viewed as part of the selection process and not as a sanction. They also contend that the BOA is also entitled to decide who will represent the country.

The UK wanted to have a zero doping positive in the upcoming London Olympics. And enforcing the lifetime ban on athletes caught using steroids will reduce the risk of having another failed doping test for the team. “We have been working pretty hard to do that and we are clear that there is no room in Team GB for people who have knowingly cheated through the use of drugs,” said Moynihan. He also added that they wanted the Olympics to be a sports competition and not a competition between chemists’ laboratories.

British Athletes Affected by Olympic Lifetime Ban

Aside from Chambers and Millar who are both eligible to represent UK, there are at least 8 athletes who are suffering from the lifetime Olympic ban. They are Jade Mellor for boxing; Peter Meakin for canoeing; Callum Priestley for hurdling; Dan Staite for cycling; Jatinder Singh Rakhra for wrestling; and Carl Myerscough, Jamie Stevenson, and Kieren Kelly for shot put.

While David Millar is not expecting that he will be part of the British Olympic team, Dwain Chambers is still optimistic that he can represent the country in the Summer Olympics. Chambers was able to prove that he can win gold for the country with his good rankings in World Championships. “It’s quite scary and I’m nervous about it because I want to go to London 2012 but I don’t know if I will be able to,” as he shared to the media his opinion on the pending issue. “Ultimately, what I want to do is to be able to perform in front of the home crowd, and I haven’t been able to do that for a long time, and that’s one of the missing pieces in my puzzle,” Chambers added.

Legal Expert Says BOA may Lose Case

A lawyer who represented American sprinter LaShawn Merritt, another athlete who was involved in steroids, said that BOA may lose its case. Howard Jacobs helped Meritt in overturning the Olympic ban on the athlete. Meritt was sanctioned for testing positive for steroids in 2010. They went to CAS arguing that an Olympic ban would constitute a violation of the WADA rule which only impose a maximum 2-year ban. The CAS said the IOC’s rule 45 is considered an additional sanction and is not legal. “I think it’s most likely that the rule will be found to be a sanction,” Jacobs said.

The CAS is expected to issue the final ruling on April.

Drug testing in collegiate sports is intended to deter the use of drugs to help level the playing field and keep athletes healthy. Stringent methods in detecting the use of steroids and performance enhancing drugs are being implemented by colleges in compliance with the NCAA drug testing policy. But since test for performance enhancing substance vary widely from school to school, including the number of athletes tested, the substances they are tested for, the quality of testing and of course the penalties, issues in the NCAA drug testing policy arise.

Such is the case at Syracuse, wherein the university allegedly allowed at least 10 basketball players over the past decade to practice and play despite violating the school’s drug policy. The report triggered some national discussion regarding the drug testing policy among college athletes. Questions on how it is being regulated by the institution members and the NCAA itself were raised together with the suggestion for a blanket policy.

NCAA Drug Testing Policy Explained

National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the governing body that enforces rules eligibility, sportsmanship, drug policy and penalties, explained how drug testing works on both the national level and at individual colleges and universities.

The NCAA drug testing policy has two-pronged approach, first is the year-round drug testing for performance enhancing drugs and second is the random drug testing at member institutions throughout the country. The process primarily aims to detect the usage of steroids and performance-enhancing drugs but it was also proven to effectively detect street drugs. Violating athletes shall receive a one-year suspension upon verification of the test results.

Andrea Wickerham, the Vice President of Free Drug Sport states that what NCAA and individual institutions test for are usually different. Athletes should not also overlook the NCAA banned substances as the governing body uses different criteria in classifying banned substances.

Type of Substances and PED’s prohibited by the NCAA

Steroids, narcotics and performance enhancing drugs are obviously banned. However, according to Scott Barker, well-versed in NCAA substance policy and the head athletic trainer for Chico State, NCAA banned substance also include birth control, some asthma medications like Bambuterol and diet pills. Adderall and Ritalin, both medications for ADHD, are also included in the banned substances. Consumption or use of caffeine is also included.

NCAA member colleges and universities, including Syracuse University, create and regulate their own drug-use policies. They are usually more focused on detecting the street drugs which includes marijuana, cocaine, amphetamine, methamphetamines, certain prescription drugs and opium. NCAA on the other hand gives stronger emphasis on steroids, Wickerham told the Daily Orange.

These colleges are not necessarily required to have such policies, but if they choose to do so, NCAA expects that the school administration must follow and implement their stated policy otherwise they have to face possible NCAA sanctions.

Schools Violating Own Drug Testing Rules may Face Sanctions

NCAA do not dictate schools what its individual sanctions should be once an athlete is found to be taking steroids or other performance enhancing drugs but they are expected to be vigilant in implementing sanctions they themselves set. Failure to do so will mandate the NCAA to serve the necessary punishment to the school administration.

The chair of the University Senate Committee on Athletic Policy at SU, Don Siegel, gave his assurance that the athletic department will take measures to ensure that the policy is adhered to. He told the Daily Orange that the department will self-report if it does not follow procedure.