Administration of performance-enhancing drugs by surfers

Anabolic steroids are used by surfers too. Sport governing body reports that prohibited drugs are a significant problem in this sport. That’s why the Association of Surfing Professionals made a decision to implicate testing for anabolic steroids and other prohibited drugs that are used for performance-enhancing effects.
The Association of Surfing Professionals had several discussions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They asked how they could introduce testing for banned medicines into surfing. Since anti-doping program of the WADA is claimed to be the best policy, the surfing organization wants to introduce this protocol. It goes without saying that this is the next victory of the WADA that contributes in the opportunity to manage anti-doping programs in sports.
It is known that surfing is a competitive sport. So, strength, speed and endurance are chief skills which promote winning. So, surfers could believe that usage of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs promotes success greatly. It is also necessary to take in consideration that amount of money which is obtained by winners is large. Winners obtain no less than 100, 000 dollars. Desire to receive money could lead surfers to decision to administrate anabolic steroids.
Nonetheless, it is said that usage of anabolic steroids and other medicines which increase performance is not widespread in surfing. Many individuals think that intake of recreational drugs is more widespread among surfers than administration of steroids. Sport of 1970s and 1980s was oftan associated with marijuana and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Current facts justify this impression. The number of surfers that are caught taking marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine is quite increased.
Andi Irons, a professional surfer, died in November 2010. A heart attack that he had was caused by drug abuse. It was defined that steroids hadn’t been involved in this fatal case. Traces of methamphetamine, cocaine and methadone metabolites were found in his system.
Another surfer, Peter Davi, died in December 2007. Enhanced levels of meth were also found in his system.
As for the professional surfer Anthony Ruffo, he was caught selling meth.
Only the professional surfer from Brazil Neco Padaratz was caught taking steroids. He was sentenced to one-year ban. This person tested positive for forbidden medicines in 2004. This person claimed that he had used these medicines to get a complete recovery from back injuries. In spite of his defense, he was sentenced to a ban. He was the first person that was caught taking steroids by the Association of Surfing Professionals. According to certain sources, he remains to be the only surfer that has ever been caught by the ASP.
The ASP has already the initial budget for introduction of the WADA anti-doping program into surfing.
Although it is unlikely that steroids represent a problem in surfing, the new drug-testing program may create a wrong public perception.