It is unlikely that steroids represent a great problem in surfing

Anabolic steroids are used by surfers too. Sport governing body claims that controlled preparations are a great problem in this sport. That’s why the Association of Surfing Professionals decided to implicate testing for anabolic steroids and other banned drugs which are administrated for enhancement of performance.
The Association of Surfing Professionals led certain discussions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). They asked how they could introduce testing for prohibited drugs into surfing. Since anti-doping program of the WADA is considered to be the best policy, the surfing organization wants to apply this protocol. Of course, this is the next victory of the WADA which promotes the opportunity to control anti-doping programs in sports.
It is known that surfing is a competitive sport. So, strength, speed and endurance are principal abilities which promote winning. Thus, surfers could decide that administration of anabolic steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs contributes in success greatly. It is also necessary to take in consideration that amount of money which is got by winners is large. Winners receive no less than 100, 000 dollars. Desire to obtain money could lead surfers to decision to use anabolic steroids.
Nonetheless, it is said that intake of anabolic steroids and other drugs which enhance performance is not widespread in surfing. Numerous people think that administration 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 who are caught taking marijuana, methamphetamine and cocaine is quite enhanced.
Andi Irons, a professional surfer, died in November 2010. The reason of his death was a heart attack caused by drug abuse. It was determined that steroids hadn’t been implicated in this fatal case. Traces of methamphetamine, cocaine and methadone metabolites were found in his body.
Another surfer, Peter Davi, died in December 2007. High levels of meth were also found in his system.
As for Anthony Ruffo, another professional surfer, he was caught distributing meth.
Only the professional surfer from Brazil Neco Padaratz was caught taking steroids. He was banned for one year. This person tested positive for forbidden products in 2004. This surfer claimed that he had administrated these preparations to receive a full recovery from back injuries. In spite of his defense, he was sentenced to a ban. He was the first individual 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 to introduce the WADA steroid program into surfing.
Although it is unlikely that steroids represent a problem in surfing, the new drug-testing program can create a wrong public impression.