UKC

I've just been reading a magazine article about dope-testing, and it's made me curious. Do climbers at competitions get tested for performance enhancing drugs?

Alternatively, are you aware of anyone taking steroids to train for climbing, or ever taken them yourself?

What are people's views of this practice?

Would you advocate the use of drugs to get strong for routes, but not for competition?

In reply to Kev Wynne: its a personnel choice,anyone can get hold of them if they want to.

In reply to Anonymous:

So you think someone in personnel is dealing?

But on a more serious note, I'm not talking about their availability - more about the validity of their use.

Why on earth would any climber want to take steroids, as they cause you to put on weight, which surely is counterproductice for climbers. OK you build up muscle density (if you work), but most climbers don't want muscle Density, they want a high muscle to Body weight ratio.

In reply to Kev Wynne:

I would be very surprised if some climbers didn't take steroids. Especially as you don't even need to go to organised competitions to get sponsorship.

In reply to innes:

I have taken steroids, and hate the flipping things. I had to take them for a renal illness, and my weight increased, and my body bloated. I'm glad I'm off the flaming things now.

In reply to Allan Thomson:

I know you've taken then Allan. I haven't taken them myself, but I've looked after plenty of people who have (for medical conditions), and they do have some unpleasant side-effects. I'm glad you don't have to take them any more.

Lots of people into various sports do take them though, for non-medical reasons. Like I said, I would be very surprised if there were no climbers who took them.

In reply to innes:
Thanks Mate

You are most likely right mate. I am just not personally convinced that after personal experience of them that I would feel they would be any help and maybe more of a hinderance to a climber.

In reply to Allan Thomson:

There are steroids and there are steroids, basically get the right ones and they will enable anybody to train longer and harder. I made a living cycling for years and steroid abuse was rife, I'd guess cyclists and climbers are after a similar effect i.e. low weight and a high strength ratio.

In reply to Mooncat:

I take a very weary and cynical attitude to the whole business.

If you're only doing it to improve your grade then go ahead - the only person you may be cheating is yourself. If you're doing it to win competitions then that's a different matter.

I've long held the view that governing bodies in sports might as well allow drugs to be used. The only caveat being that the competitor has to register exactly what chemicals they're taking. That way drugs would just become another part of the competitors kit - a bit like the make of tyres on an F1 car. They could then be sponsored by the likes of Glaxo or Smith Kline. If their heads exploded or they developed a nice pair of double D's then fine.

I'd like to think that it would bring a backlash against professionalism and a re evaluation of what is important in sport.

In reply to Removed User:

Interesting point, even the ones who are supposedly clean (in cycling) are using techniques and supplements whilst not illegal are certainly not in keeping with the spirit of the sport.

Ideally I suppose you could have 2 different sports as in bodybuilding 1 clean and another where you can take what the f*ck you like, it's the way of the world though, for competitors in the "clean" sport to start bending the rules I suppose.

In reply to Kev Wynne:
Dont know how true it was but there was a rumour that speed was becoming popular to prolong training activity on certain cellar facilities.
Anyone else heard this?

In reply to Kev Wynne: there was definetely a dope testing room at the seriously strong cheesy comp at ratho.