Archive for the ‘Steroids’ Category

The international governing body of surfing for the first time is preparing to launch comprehensive drug testing for professionals.

The Association of Surfing Professionals will roll out a policy in 2012 for screening competitors and officials for performance-enhancing and recreational drugs.

From Guardian.co.uk:

The move comes after the death of the triple world champion Andy Irons in November 2010. A postmortem found he died from a heart attack and “acute mixed drug ingestion”. Traces of methadone, methamphetamine, also known as crystal meth, and a metabolite of cocaine were found in his bloodstream.

Another professional surfer, Anthony Ruffo, a 47-year-old pioneer of the Santa Cruz scene in the 1980s, is facing a possible jail sentence for selling methamphetamine after he was caught with an ounce of the drug.

“We believe this is a natural evolution in enhancing the professionalism of our sport,” said Dave Prodan, a spokesman for the ASP. “This motion has the full support of the surfers on tour as they want to be taken more professionally, and believe this is a step in the right direction. We have been discussing and drafting a policy with the guidance of the World Anti Doping Agency for over two years and the budget, approved at the November board of directors meeting, has just allowed us the possibility of implementing it as soon as next year.”

“I have seen guys who are stoners and they drop off the scene because it is not sustainable,” he said. “Athletes are training hard. The way the contests are now, it will catch up with you,” Gerry Fitzgerald, a professional in Ireland, said.

The former baseball slugger, Barry Bonds, has been sentenced to two years probation, with no prison time.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence in a San Francisco federal court to Bonds for his conviction on a single criminal count related to an investigation over steroids use in sports.

From Guardian.co.uk:

Bonds was also sentenced to 30 days of home confinement, 250 hours of community service, and must pay a $4,000 fine.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston handed down the sentence in a San Francisco federal court, and she immediately stayed it pending appeal. Prosecutors had sought a 15-month prison sentence, while Bonds asked for probation.

Bonds, 47, was convicted in April of obstructing a grand jury’s doping investigation with an evasive answer during a court appearance in December 2003. The Northern California jury was deadlocked on three other counts of lying to a grand jury.

Other baseball stars tainted by the doping scandal include sluggers like Mark McGwire and Jason Giambi and pitcher Roger Clemens.

“King Mo” Lawal’s manager, Mike Kogan, hopes the MMA community can learn from their experience after Lawal tested positive for steroids.

“We were very transparent about all of this and the biggest reason was because we want to make sure people have a chance to do their own research,” Kogan explained to MMAWeekly.

From Fightline.com:

Lawal tested positive for anabolic steroid, Drostanolone after his Strikeforce victory over Lorenz Larkin earlier in January, prompting Kogan to speak out about the unusual circumstances surrounding the incident.

According to Kogan, Lawal was taking a commercial supplement called S-Mass Lean which contained the banned substance—something the pair claims to have been unaware of. The longtime manager calls for better regulation of supplements and increased awareness to prevent similar instances.

“The problem is that these materials and this research and information usually becomes available retroactively, not proactively, not ahead of time,” said Kogan. “Can this be prevented? Yes, it can be prevented by regulation through the FDA. But then they have to take on the big lobbying group of the nutrition companies.”

Before signing fighters to contracts, Zuffa will be screening them for performance enhancing drugs.

The news came after Muhammed Lawal’s positive test for an anabolic steroid and former Strikeforce champion Cristiane Santos also having shown PED use after a December fight under the company’s banner.

From Fighters.com:

UFC President Dana White also weighed in on the matter, saying, “The health and safety of our athletes is our top priority. We’ve seen the issues performance-enhancing drugs have caused in other sports and we’re going to do everything we can to keep them out of the UFC and Strikeforce. Our athletes are already held to the highest testing standards in all sports by athletic commissions. Our new testing policy for performance-enhancing drugs only further shows how important it is to us to have our athletes competing on a level playing field.”

“We’re committed to the health and safety of our athletes and we take it very seriously,” explained chief executive Lorenzo Fertitta of the company’s decision.

Two Western companies were fined by a U.S. district judge for distributing steroids disguised as dietary supplements to a Meridian-area retail company.

Representatives for the companies DCD, LLC, also known as Advanced Muscle Science, and R & D Holdings pleaded guilty to charges.

From Idahostatesman.com:

On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge B. Lynn Winmill fined DCD, LLC $125,000 and R & D Holdings $21,000 — which is close to the gross revenue the companies generated from selling the fake supplements to the Meridian company and retailers in other states, according to U.S. Department of Justice reports.

Winmill also placed DCD, LLC on probation and is requiring that company to implement a testing protocol for its products to ensure future products sold as dietary supplements do not contain steroids for five years.

Prosecutors say R & D Holdings no longer manufactures supplements and is banned from doing so for the next two years as part of their probation.

According to court records, DCD, LLC is a Nevada-based corporation with offices in California and Michigan and R & D Holdings was located in southern California.

These days, Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is being talked as a possible candidate to have used a little extra pick-me-up.

The 2-time MLB Home Run Champion and newest member of the 50 HR Club has been tested 16 times by the MLB in two years.

From Sportsgrid.com:

Speaking at a recent banquet event in the Dominican Republic, however, Bautista told the attendees that there’s no reason for anyone to be suspicious of his Hulk-like outbreak over the past two seasons. Since, after all, he has been “randomly” tested 16 times for performance enhancing drugs. Yes, that’s 16 times in the course of two years.

Considering that over the previous two seasons he had only been tested three total times, to go along with his 28 home runs in 700-plus at-bats, it certainly seems like said tests may not be so “random.” But then again, that’s the current nature of the game. Everyone is guilty until proven innocent… 20-some-odd times over, and over again. It probably would take another 50 or so negative tests in order for the critics to be quieted down.

The slugger recently said the tests under the name of random drug testing policy conducted by the Major League Baseball are not so random.

Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, former Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion, has filed to appeal the one-year suspension issued by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC).

Santos was suspended after failing a drug test that led to the removal of her title, according to reports from Sports Illustrated.

From Mma.sbnation.com:

“Cyborg” tested positive for the banned substance stanozolol, an anabolic steroid, in the aftermath of her December 17th title defense against Hiroko Yamanaka at Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal. The 26-year-old promptly received a $2,500 fine, a one-year suspension and the win was reversed to a “no decision.”

“I would like to sincerely apologize to Strikeforce, the Zuffa organization, Hioko Yamanaka and my fans for my failed drug test,” Santos said after the ruling. “I am ultimately responsible for everything I put in my body, and at the end of the day, there is no excuse for having a prohibited substance in my system.”

Despite her expression of regret, Santos has thus far maintained her innocence, stating that the failed test resulted from “a dietary supplement that I was assured was safe and not prohibited from use in sports competition.”

“She’s at home in Curitiba, surrounded by family who supports her wholeheartedly,” the fighter’s manager explained. “She’s recalibrating and trying to put her head around the suspension.”

MMA phenom Cris “Cyborg” Santos has been suspended by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) for testing positive for anabolic steroids prior to her bout with Hiroko Yamanaka on Dec.17.2011.

The legitimacy of Cyborg’s bulky frame has been questioned for years but this is the first time an official testing has confirmed those suspicions.

From Mmaboom.com:

Along with her suspension, Cris “Cyborg” Santos will face a $2,500 fine and her bout with Hiroko Yamanaka will be retroactively changed to a No Decision (NC). With Santos currently out of the women’s MMA picture, there are early concerns that the Strikeforce 145 lb women’s division may be in big trouble moving forward. With all the best female fighters at 135, and Santos now gone, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the two divisions merged or purged in some fashion in the near future.

As it would happen, the recent confirmation of Ronda Rousey vs. Miesha Tate now makes that contest the biggest match possible in women’s MMA, although that’s a bit of a bittersweet recognition under the circumstances.

The news has once again brought the relationship between steroids and professional sports to the limelight.

A court has heard that a man facing drugs charges after a police raid which allegedly turned up cash, cocaine, MDMA, and steroids was already on bail for a serious offence.

Gregory Jason Merrilees briefly faced the ACT Magistrates Court after being arrested on Thursday night following the search.

From Canberratimes.com.au:

Police allege they found 8g of suspected cocaine, 100 tablets believed to be MDMA or ”ecstasy” and three vials of steroids.

Merrilees’ lawyer told the court her client was already on bail over serious alleged offences which carry a maximum penalty of five years or more. Under territory law a person accused of committing further crimes while on bail for a serious offence has to show special or exceptional circumstances to justify their release on bail again. Merrilees was remanded in custody.

The 39-year-old was formally charged with unlawful possession of property, cocaine trafficking, possessing anabolic steroids, and is also facing a charge of driving while disqualified.

The Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion and considered by many as the baddest woman on the planet, Cristiane Justino Santos tested positive for anabolic steroids the day before her most devastating career win.

The featherweight champion, better known as “Cyborg,” tested positive for the anabolic steroid Stanozolol, also known as Winstrol, according to a release by the California State Athletic Commission.

From Uk.eurosport.yahoo.com:

The result of the fight held on the Dec. 17 Strikeforce show at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego has been overturned by the commission and ruled a no contest.

“Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters,” CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd said in a press release sent out on Friday.

“Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use.”

The test happened on Dec. 16, the day before she knocked out the top contender for the title, Japan’s Hiroko Yamanaka, in only 16 seconds.