Marion Jones, the disgraced Olympic Sprinter and once known as the fastest woman in the world, was recently introduced as the member of WNBA’s Tulsa Shock.

Jones offered no apologies for use of steroids or her time in the Federal Prison and didn’t seem reluctant to answer questions about her troubled past.

Jones said at a news conference, flanked by team president Steve Swetoha and Coach Nolan Richardson, that redemption is not a word in her vocabulary.

From Sportsillustrated.CNN.com:

Jones also spent about six months in a Texas prison for lying to federal prosecutors about doping and her role in a check-fraud scam.

The 34-year-old Jones joined the team just four days after working out for Richardson, who is also the team’s general manager. She was signed to at least a one-year contract but terms were not disclosed.

Jones was the starting point guard on North Carolina’s national championship team in 1994 and she was drafted by Phoenix in 2003 but never played in the WNBA. She said playing for the Shock is not about her past but instead fulfills her dream of playing basketball against the best players in the world.

“I think when I even started to think about this 10 months ago, I know how much the game has grown from the time that I played,” Jones said. “And that became even more of a challenge for me, because I know that although I know certain things and played a certain way, that it’s 10 times faster, that the athletes are 10 times more skilled.”

WNBA president Donna Orender, who attended the news conference, said Jones generates interest in the league because she’s a highly accomplished athlete who has competed on a global stage.

Steve Swetoha remarked that Jones may have harmed her career by making some ill-advised decisions but she deserves a chance to excel like every one.

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Things are pretty much under dark clouds as far as the growing popularity of steroids is concerned as more and more people are making use of prescription drugs, steroids, and performance enhancing drugs than ever. These trends are especially alarming in the segments of bodybuilding, professional sports, and aging community.

It seems like almost every one was on steroids till steroid testing measures were introduced by the anti-doping fraternity. This can be easily evident from the fact that more and more individuals are using steroids despite tall claims from the anti-doping officials.

From SteroidTimes.com:

In a recent study done by Strahm et al at the Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses not very reliable (1). They examined the T/E ratio and its variances between ethnic groups because of a testosterone over epitestosterone (T/E) ratio exceeding 4.0 is considered as suspicious of testosterone administration, irrespectively of individual heterogeneous factors such as the athlete’s ethnicity. Strahm and colleagues found that a deletion polymorphism in the UGT2B17 gene was demonstrated to account for a significant part of the inter-individual variability in the T/E between Caucasians and Asians. By estimation of the prevalence of the UGT2B17 deletion/deletion genotype (African: 22%; Asian: 81%; Caucasian: 10%; Hispanic: 7%), ethnic-specific thresholds were developed for a specificity of 99% for the T/E (African: 5.6; Asian: 3.8; Caucasian: 5.7; Hispanic: 5.8).

In other words the group at the Swiss doping lab found out that a blanket T/E ratio is not accurate enough for the testing protocol and that “significant differences have been observed between all ethnic groups.” There conclusion was “that an athlete’s endocrinological passport consisting of a longitudinal follow-up together with the ethnicity and/or the genotype would strongly enhance the detection of testosterone abuse.”

The fact that steroids help individuals to realize their long-cherished dreams without much effort and on a consistent basis is something that has long been alluring one and all towards steroids.

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In an announcement made at a meeting of baseball owners in Scottsdale, Arizona, an agreement was entered into by Major League baseball players and union officials for implementing tougher doping policies.

Baseball and union officials have expanded the list of banned substances though amphetamines will be something that players would not be tested for.

From NYTimes.com:

“I felt an obligation that some day, somebody could come up to you and say, ‘You people knew about this, and you didn’t do anything about it,’ ” Commissioner Bud Selig said on a conference call. “That was something I would have had a very hard time living with. But the fact of the matter is that today, we did something about it.”

Baseball did not adopt steroid testing for major leaguers until 2002, when it negotiated a program with the union that was roundly criticized as being too lenient. Rob Manfred, an executive vice president for baseball, said the new policy was different in the frequency of testing during the season; the addition of off-season testing; the number of banned substances; and the penalties.

Rob Manfred, an executive vice president for baseball, was of the view that this policy is as good as any policy in any professional sport.

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The game of cycling is collapsing under the weight of continuing doping issues, a fact that was suggested by the lack of a sponsor for the cycling team of Lance Armstrong and of this year’s Tour de France winner.

The team, the Discovery Channel, has been one of the cycling sports’ most successful franchises but the image crisis has even left Armstrong turning into a pessimist about short term future of the sport.

From NYTimes.com:

Many of cycling’s best riders have failed drug tests or been linked to doping in recent years, and doping issues last month all but overwhelmed the sport’s marquee event, the Tour de France. For a sport whose teams enjoy no revenue from ticket sales or television rights, the resulting publicity has started to drain its lifeblood: the sponsors that spend millions of dollars to finance the teams.

Known for the past three years as Discovery Channel and before that as the United States Postal Service squad, the team is owned by Tailwind Sports, a San Francisco-based company that is partly owned by Armstrong. The only American team at cycling’s top rank, it has been searching for a new sponsor since February, when the parent of the Discovery Channel network decided not to renew its three-year contract.

Though not even a single rider of the Discovery team has ever failed a drug test, yet that was probably not enough to avoid the doping suspicions besting the sport. This is indeed a bad news for cycling and its lovers since steroids have dominated almost every game and now even cycling is seen with suspicious eyes.

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Steroid testing truth revealed The worlds of professional sports and celebrities are often being accused of sharing a relationship with anabolic steroids. While not many of them come openly to admit this relationship, the truth is that more and more people are using steroids and without a medical prescription.

The purpose of using steroids may be anything from improving performance and stamina to looking young and from developing body strength to adding solid muscle gains, but the popularity of steroids is on a high despite claims of doping and government officials.

From SteroidTimes.com:

In a recent study done by Strahm et al at the Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses not very reliable (1). They examined the T/E ratio and its variances between ethnic groups because of a testosterone over epitestosterone (T/E) ratio exceeding 4.0 is considered as suspicious of testosterone administration, irrespectively of individual heterogeneous factors such as the athlete’s ethnicity. Strahm and colleagues found that a deletion polymorphism in the UGT2B17 gene was demonstrated to account for a significant part of the inter-individual variability in the T/E between Caucasians and Asians. By estimation of the prevalence of the UGT2B17 deletion/deletion genotype (African: 22%; Asian: 81%; Caucasian: 10%; Hispanic: 7%), ethnic-specific thresholds were developed for a specificity of 99% for the T/E (African: 5.6; Asian: 3.8; Caucasian: 5.7; Hispanic: 5.8).

In other words the group at the Swiss doping lab found out that a blanket T/E ratio is not accurate enough for the testing protocol and that “significant differences have been observed between all ethnic groups.” There conclusion was “that an athlete’s endocrinological passport consisting of a longitudinal follow-up together with the ethnicity and/or the genotype would strongly enhance the detection of testosterone abuse.”

While some think that steroids should best be legalized so that they are not abused in lack of medical advice, many others feel that steroids should be completely banned. While banning steroids may not be helpful in any way, legalizing them can be an option.

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In the world of professional sports, especially in bodybuilding and athletics, the use of steroids is a big matter of discussions and something that is criticized by some individuals. But the truth is that anabolic steroids are very effective and only one side of the side is told to the world but the entire story is left hidden.

In this context, it is important to note that more and more individuals are using steroids these days despite tall claims from the government authorities and WADA. The only reason behind success and popularity of steroids despite all odds is nothing but endless benefits.

Let us find out whether steroids and sports are perceived in the right spirit or not.

From Whitehousedrugpolicy.gov:

Doping is the use of a substance that artificially enhances athletic performance. These substances often pose a significant risk to the health and well-being of athletes. The use of performance-enhancing drugs undermines the ideals of sports and devalues and debases the rewards of competition. Despite the range of health risks and ethical implications, many athletes at both the professional and amateur levels use these dangerous substances.

One of the most effective ways to combat doping is by supporting and working collaboratively with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). WADA was established to harmonize and coordinate an effective international program to detect, deter, and prevent doping. The United States plays a leadership role in WADA, serving on WADA’s governing board and on many working committees. The United States is the largest funder of the organization and was also recently elected to represent the entire 41-nation region of the Americas on WADA’s Executive Committee.

It can be easily concluded that sportsmen on steroids are well aware of the fact that steroids cannot result in any side effect if they are used sensibly and as per medical recommendations. The fact that steroids result in side effects only when abused is also known to them and this is the reason why they are not hesitant to use steroids after evaluating their pros and cons.

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Despite improvements in steroids and drug testing, in general, Victor Conte still believes that more than half of the semi-finalists in the London 2012 Olympics will likely use illegal drugs at some stage of their training.

According to an interview conducted in celebration of the 10^th anniversary of the World Anti-Doping Agency, Conte believes that cheating in sports, through performance-enhancing drugs is still rampant.

Interviewers asked Conte about his opinion as to how many of the sprinters who were able to make it to the semi-finals may have possibly used steroids, he replied by using the term “an overwhelming majority”.

Conte used to own a tiny laboratory in the outskirts of San Francisco. The lab may have been tiny, but Bay Area Laboratory Cooperative became big news due to the steroids scandal in 2003 that continues its “legacy” in the sporting world, destroying careers of hundreds of athletes, even including his own.

Some of Conte’s prominent clients include Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery. Both made their way to the Olympics and even earned medals with the help of BALCO products.

Conte said he regretted getting involved in doping and would like to make amends by contributing his knowledge in doping and steroids.

From Reuters:

MONTREAL (Reuters) - Cheating is still rife in sport despite improved testing and more than half the sprint semi-finalists at the London 2012 Olympics are likely to use illegal drugs at some stage of their preparations, says Victor Conte, the man at the heart of the BALCO doping scandal.

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It has been several months since most of us heard the word “steroids” in the sporting world, a fact that has brought a big smile on the faces of sporting and doping officials. In early February this year, there were anonymous sources reporting that Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) had used performance enhancing drugs to deliver dramatic performances on the field. Then, there were claims by the lawyers involved in the BALCO investigation that David Ortiz was one of the players who had tested positive in 2003.

From News.Yahoo.com:

It is no coincidence that, for the most part, sports writers broke their steroid stories during the off-season when there is not much baseball news around. Of course, when an anonymous source dumps the Ortiz leak during the season, it must be played when it appears. Red Sox fans were worried about Big Papi’s failure to start playing the game until two months into the 2009 season. The drug testing story offered an explanation for Ortiz’s lackluster performance. It happened to all players who had to go off “the stuff.” The faithful rallied to Papi’s side. Since then he has had his usual spectacular year, although his batting average never recovered. No one has bothered to say “never mind” about the drug accusations.

The only steroid news since the shameful accusations against David Ortiz has been the court ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in August on a suit brought by the Major League Baseball Players Association. Federal authorities had seized all the 2003 drug-testing records as part of their BALCO investigation, although their subpoena only referenced information related to ten players. Chief Judge Alex Kozinski, normally a staunch conservative on criminal matters, castigated the Bush henchmen: “This was an obvious case of deliberate overreaching by the government in an effort to seize data as to which it lacked probable cause.” Perhaps the government could not tell the difference between ten records and a hundred. It is refreshing to know that the Fourth Amendment is still part of the sacred covenant that is our Bill of Rights.

It appears that the news of steroids is often broken down during the off-season to keep public interest. After all, publicity, good or bad, seems to be working these days and if the publicity is centered up on a celebrity, people tend to take more interest than ever.

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A team of researchers involved in ascertaining the impact of anabolic steroid use on power lifters years after the use is no longer prevalent has found that changes in the shoulder and quadriceps attained by steroid use tend to stay with steroid users years after discontinuation of steroids.

It is noteworthy to note here that anabolic steroids are synthetic hormones that are derived from testosterone, the male hormone and their use has much been in debate in professional sports where muscle strength is paramount.

From Sciencedaily.com:

Findings

The researchers found that several years after anabolic steroid withdrawal, and with no or low current strength-training, the muscle fiber area intensity, the number of nuclei per fiber in the quadriceps was still comparable to that of athletes that were currently performing high intensity strength-training. They also discovered that the shoulder-neck fiber areas were comparable to high-intensity trained athletes and the number of nuclei per fiber was even higher than found in the current steroid-using group.

Conclusions

According to the lead researcher, Dr. Eriksson, ”It is possible that the high number of nuclei we found in the muscle might be beneficial for an athlete who continues or resumes strength training because increased myonuclei opens up the possibility of increasing protein synthesis, which can lead to muscle mass.”  He added, “Based on the characteristics between doped and non-doped power lifters, we conclude that a period of anabolic steroid usage is an advantage for a power lifter in competition, even several years after they stop taking a doping drug.”

It is evident from this study that even a period of anabolic steroid usage is more than enough to be an advantage for a power lifter in competitive events, even after passage of several years after doping has been discontinued by the power lifter.

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With news coming almost on a fortnightly basis about a professional sportsmen or celebrity using steroids for attaining lean muscle mass and/or staying ahead of the competition, things are surely under a dark cloud as far as the usage of steroids is concerned.

In the worlds of professional sports and bodybuilding, the use of steroids is not new. It almost seems that every one was doping until the steroid testing protocols came into the picture. Despite tall claims by doping testing, more and more sportsmen and individuals are using steroids to get that feel of ‘invincibility’ even today.

From SteroidTimes.com:

In a recent study done by Strahm et al at the Swiss Laboratory for Doping Analyses not very reliable (1). They examined the T/E ratio and its variances between ethnic groups because of a testosterone over epitestosterone (T/E) ratio exceeding 4.0 is considered as suspicious of testosterone administration, irrespectively of individual heterogeneous factors such as the athlete’s ethnicity. Strahm and colleagues found that a deletion polymorphism in the UGT2B17 gene was demonstrated to account for a significant part of the inter-individual variability in the T/E between Caucasians and Asians. By estimation of the prevalence of the UGT2B17 deletion/deletion genotype (African: 22%; Asian: 81%; Caucasian: 10%; Hispanic: 7%), ethnic-specific thresholds were developed for a specificity of 99% for the T/E (African: 5.6; Asian: 3.8; Caucasian: 5.7; Hispanic: 5.8).

In other words the group at the Swiss doping lab found out that a blanket T/E ratio is not accurate enough for the testing protocol and that “significant differences have been observed between all ethnic groups.” There conclusion was “that an athlete’s endocrinological passport consisting of a longitudinal follow-up together with the ethnicity and/or the genotype would strongly enhance the detection of testosterone abuse.”

It is high time that either steroids be allowed or banned as a middle path just do not seem to work any more. Moreover, it will allow steroid users to “enjoy” a level-playing field.

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