Is everyone on PEDS????

I want to put forward a scenario. I have no clue on the topic and I have a few presumptions you fellows might be able to put right.

Peds?

Is it true, Pro's are only eligible for drug testing as part of a contract? Or is it that, they are eligible during every training camp? Or infact, they are tested after every bout?

My understanding is that if random testing is signed into a contract then random testing can take place at any time during a fighters training camp. Most training camps last around 7 weeks and let's say most boxers fight twice per year. That equates to a 14 week testing eligibility period per year. It would be easy to negate the risk of being caught and have an advantage. For example, in between training camps, have a "mid-term" camp, take a boost and aid recovery, improve physiology/fitness/strength. Now stop taking the boosts and maintain conditioning. The next time you are tested as part of your next fights training camp.....hey presto....it's all gone, and your fitness did not drop too much in between fights?

My question is, is this possible and does it happen??

They are all taking some supplement or another in most contact and highly physical sports but ofcourse a lot of them are legit so there is no problem. In regards to the ones that are not legit...it does make you wonder how much of it is going on which if we are honest...does seem to be a lot more that we used to think

Ive always felt it goes on more in boxing than appears smply due to the sub standard testing. It seems pretty easy to beat the existing system when you compare how advanced the systems are for the likes of athletics or cycling. Nowadays if a boxer fails a test that is not a VADA based one I tend to think its more a sign of a genuine mistake than actual doping simply because its just so easy to beat the current testing that only a idiot juicer would get caught. Since the introduction of VADA we have had two major fights fall through already which is not a good sign.

Ive always wondered how beneficial PEDS are in boxing though. They obviously confer some kind of benefit but how great? I can see in athletics where its very fine margins and very basic events such as who can lift the heaviest weight or who can run the fastest and the margins of winning are so small that PEDS can make the difference. But boxing? Take Mosley for example, he fought de la Hoya twice. Once he was supposedly clean and once he was supposedly juiced but there didnt seem to any real improvement in his performance or noteable difference.

Manos I think in boxing its the deterioration it prevents in older fighters and the extra training leaves the fighhter fitter.

If you overtrain, your testosterone level drops drastically, but if taken with trstosterone supplements does make you faster, stronger and hit harder. Its just being able to train at absolute full pelt and still being in peak condition for the fight. The drug itself usually doesnt cause you to be faster/stronger on its own but that opportunity to max out that increases these attributes.

If you apply the principles of overload in fitness training - just imagine how much of a benefit a much higher overload can give you - as the drug compensates/repairs etc at an unnatural rate.

Hello gentlemen,

I am not by any means a scientist however I come from an athletics background (20 years in the sport) and like most was curious as to what steriods/HGH actually do. My understanding is as with ShahenShaG's comments are that put simply they enable you to train harder by greatly reducing the recovery time you naturally need. You can train more frequently and sessions are of a higher quality as you are less tired and (particularly with strength work) sore. Theoretically anyone who needs speed, strength, injury prevention, muscle endurance etc would "benefit" from use of these substances. I was told that an athlete using steriods could make 4 years' training gains in about 18 months by using PED's.

With regard to testing what is needed IMHO is the World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) who coordinate "Olympic" standard testing. On average most top track and field athletes (at least in the UK) are tested on average around about once a month in and out of competition. In '89 or '90 when I was competing at English Schools Athletics championships I know of a 18yr old athlete tested on both days of the two event (he passed). Embarrassing really to see boxing 20 years later so far behind, I accept it is not easy to test everyone but if sportspeople know testing is more frequent, advanced with real sanctions it MIGHT make people at least think twice.

Depends on the fighters training regime, there are quite a few who train only when they have a fight like say Hatton did, I would find it very hard to imagine he was taking PEDS when they would have no effect when he isn't preparing for a fight. The fighters who are in shape and training all year round are the more likely to be on PEDS.

Very informative and valid opinions.

Ghosty,
its safe to say Ricky Hatton's training regimine was an exception to rule. Besides, I dare say he got enough testoserone from eating steak and kidney pies, bulls testicals and drinking guiness.

I think if the sanctioning bodies wanted to they could reduce the use of PEDS in boxing so easily. All they would have to do is say that anyone in the top ten in their rankings must be open to random testing all year round or they will refuse to rank them. It can't be to much of a work load for them to test 10 athletes and anyone who flat out refuses to be part of their rankings would have some serious explaining to do.

Also all voluntary defenses too.

manos de piedra wrote:

Ive always wondered how beneficial PEDS are in boxing though.

Anybody who has conducted any sort of HGH or testosterone based studies would be able to convince you of the undoubted advantages that can be gained by using these substances. My senior exercise physiology lecturers are leading figures in Britain when it comes to the use of anabolic steroids in sport.

Look for some of Dr Bruce Graham and Dr Julian Baker's work on the subject Manos, I'm sure you'd find them compelling.

TheMackemMawler wrote: I dare say he got enough testoserone from eating steak and kidney pies, bulls testicals and drinking guiness.

Drinking Guiness (or any alcoholic beverage) in large quantities reduces testosterone and increases estrogen.

many seem to be implying that Peterson only asked for Olympic style drug testing because they thought they could cheat it... in which case if thats true.. then yes, many could be on PEDs and its how good you are at not getting caught... even FMJ...

tunes666 wrote:many seem to be implying that Peterson only asked for Olympic style drug testing because they thought they could cheat it... in which case if thats true.. then yes, many could be on PEDs and its how good you are at not getting caught... even FMJ...

True. Even Khan.

J.Benson II wrote:

TheMackemMawler wrote: I dare say he got enough testoserone from eating steak and kidney pies, bulls testicals and drinking guiness.

Drinking Guiness (or any alcoholic beverage) in large quantities reduces testosterone and increases estrogen.

Dont be silly, eating pies, drinking guiness and playing darts is what makes real men...MEN!! Everyones knows this